How to ensure I don't spend every waking moment of my life doing schoolprep!

Today's post is about something very close to my heart, and something that I struggle with almost every day: HOW to be a great teacher without sacrificing family time. I'll be honest, it's a fine line between getting it right and getting it horribly wrong. I am no expert... But since cutting down my working week to just two days and job sharing, I've picked up a few tricks and I thought I'd share them with you!

1. Keep marking to a minimum 

It's really important to mark work and some schools can be particularly strict on how often work is marked. But there are ways to get it done without taking tubs of books home every afternoon. First of all, marking work together as a class is a great way for students to be accountable to their own learning as well as cutting down your workload. However, marking as a class isn't alway feasible, and so that's why I created these amazing stamps with Vistaprint. I created a stack of different stamps so that I'm not always writing the same thing over and over. If you wait for a sale, you can get the stamps for a bargain.

2. Use your release time efficiently

I have always wasted my release time by prioritising my work badly. I've spent the time "catching up" rather than getting ahead. I only have one hour of release now, so I have to use my time wisely. Instead of going down to the staff room and potentially getting caught in a conversation with a colleague, I spend my first half hour marking and my second half hour photocopying and borrowing resources ready for the next week. So that when I come in on a Monday morning, I can ease my way back into work.

3. Have split up booklets organised for sick days so that students are still on task

Split Up days happen. It's unfortunately the way life is for teachers nowadays. Because I job share, there's a higher chance that my colleague or I have to take a day off. So we created 'Split Up Booklets' that are stored in an easily found tote tray for those days when one of us can't make it in and the school can't get a casual teacher in time. The booklet contains work that can be completed independently, however, is still keeping the class on task. STEM activities are great ideas for Split Up Booklets. Blank templates for planning and writing as well as spelling activities that cater towards different spelling lists are also great activities. I've put a couple of images below of our current Split Up Booklet below.

4. Use your diary well

This one is pretty self explanatory and links in with my second point. Write important details down and then remember to check your diary. I like to plan out what I need to do before and after school so that I make the most of my time. I also try to do jobs as soon as possible so that I don't forget to do them. Rip it off like a bandaid. 

I created a couple of different planning templates for you to download and use. I like to print them off in advance and bound it ready for the term. Click on the images to download the templates.

5. Keep parents up to date with what's happening regularly so that you don't have to spend your whole lunch break chasing them up

I've mentioned this point in a previous blog post… I highly recommend using ClassDojo! It has an amazing messenger tool where you can directly message parents. It's a great way to keep constant dialogue open between school and home. A quick message here and there is far easier than a long phone call.

6. Look after your own wellbeing… 

Make sure you make an appearance in the staff room. Don't always diet. Have a laugh. Say thank you to others. Ask people about their weekends. A happy workplace is a productive workplace.

7. Give yourself a pat on the back sometimes…

And ask yourself what went well rather than what went wrong.

8. Keep things digital and back up your USB regularly. 

I think every teacher has had a moment where they've had to search for a resource that they've put in a "safe place" and then they couldn't find it when they've needed it. Times have changed... There's no need for hard copies of every worksheet... It's time to get digital! Then you can access documents from home or school. 

My colleague and I have gone digital with our program too. We're using 'One Drive' but there's so many sharing platforms out nowadays. Google Docs is a great tool for working documents and there's lots of programming apps out there too. Check out iDoceo! 

Make sure your USB is organised. Label files and documents appropriately so that you can easily find them when you need them. I can't tell you how many times I've had to recreate a worksheet or PowerPoint presentation because I couldn't find the original one I made. We do not have time to reinvent the wheel let alone recreate things because they're lost! 

And remember to BACK EVERYTHING UP!

9. Have students assess their own work and teach them to be accountable for their own learning.

I've been using these little checklists for a while now. They're great for seeing which students understand and which students could have worked harder.

I also like to get my students to mark their own work where possible. By doing this, you're not only saving your own personal time but you're teaching them to be accountable to their own learning. I think it's important for them to be apart of the process. So mark homework as a class. Mark pre and post tests together. Get them to calculate their score and figure out whether they've improved. 

10. Stop being a Perfectionist!

There's just no time and perfectionism isn't always attainable. Just do your best!!

Taking Off With Numeracy (TOWN) Part I

While I was off on Maternity Leave, my colleagues participated in a number of professional learning sessions around TOWN (Taking Off With Numeracy). Since I have come back, I have had to do some catching up and I thought today I'd share what I've learned and how I'm applying it.

What is TOWN?

Taking Off With Numeracy (TOWN) is a whole-class intervention initiative which focuses on improving numeracy skills of students in the upper primary years identified as not performing at expected stage level. The initiative provides ongoing professional learning over the school year to assist teachers to assess each student’s current numeracy understanding and to monitor student progress against a research-based framework. Beyond this, the program aims to provide explicit guidance in designing whole class teaching programs to further develop each student’s numeracy understanding. Emphasis is given to the teaching sequence related to developing Place Value, as it underpins the four operations and decimals, as well as important concepts in measurement. Focus is also given to the teaching of Multiplication and Division concepts. 

(information taken from http://www.takingoffwithnumeracy.com.au) 

How and when does TOWN occur?

In my class, TOWN activities occur three times a week. Students participate in the same activity across the week, developing their ability and improving their skills. Each of the three sessions go for 10 minutes. We are currently focussing on place value.

I have a visual prompt on the board as the TOWN activities are differentiated, so you may have three or more variations happening at the one time. Materials are organised into tubs so that they're easily accessed.

What resources are needed?

Most of the resources needed can be found in the DENS books. Other resources include playing cards, dice, unifix cubes, counters, MAB Blocks and other maths equipment found around the classroom. Students will also need a book to put their working out in, a mini whiteboard and whiteboard marker. However one of the things that I love about TOWNS is that it is pretty adaptable. 

I am currently building up a bank of activities and I will share these with you in the near future. So make sure you check back here!

What should I actually spend my money on?

I ask myself this question every year! 

Some years the answer is simple as I have more money in my pocket and less reservations about spending. But lately, I've found it harder and harder to part with cash. It was ok at first… kind of a novelty. However now it feels like I'm constantly spending my money on things, and it's not always worth it. So I've compiled a list of things I BELIEVE that you should spend your money on. Anything outside of this list I would have to seriously question whether or not I'd actually need it. Let's face it… we've all splurged on resources thinking that they will change teaching for us, only for them to be put on a shelf and forgotten about.

The back to school shopping list:

1. A Diary (doesn't matter what type… this is a necessity)
2. Pens/Pencils/Erasers/Rulers/Sharpeners, etc (ONLY if your school does not provide these items). I usually buy a stash for those "just in case" moments and I like to have new stationery for myself… it's kind of therapeutic.
3. A USB (if you don't already have one)
4. A new folder for your program
5. Laminating pouches (we all use them!!)
6. Velcro/Blu-Tac/Thumb Tacs (again only if your school does not provide these items)
7. Soap/Paper Towel/Tissues (I usually get my students to bring in these, but it's nice to have one lot ready to go for the new year)
8. WHITEBOARD markers (my school provides these but they're always hard to get your hands on!!)

Other than these eight things… everything else you spend your money on MUST REQUIRE a lot more thought before handing over the credit card.

Remember that your school does supply you with stationery (obviously each school is slightly different), you can borrow books and other resources from your school library and even your local library. I'm fortunate enough to live close the the Henry Parkes Equity Resource Centre which has stacks of resources that teachers can borrow.