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August 22, 2018

Wednesday Organization - Schedule

Confessions of a Frazzled Teacher

Today was my official first day of school. We have three days of pd this week. The kids will start Monday. I know that I am in definitely in Back to School mode! My head is spinning with a thousand things that I need to get done before my students start. This got me thinking about my schedule this school year.

I have a ton of commitments! This week alone, I have 3 presentations and 1 meeting scheduled. We are only in school 3 days! If I keep this up all year, I will go crazy...or at least more crazy than usual. Therefore, I need to make sure that I organize my schedule.

Why Should You Organize Your Schedule?

It's easy to get overwhelmed with work. There are always papers to grade, lesson plans to write, resources to find, grades to input, etc. Some days are more productive than others. I love these days because I accomplish so much!

Creating a schedule allows you to batch like tasks as well as creating forced free time for yourself. You definitely do NOT want to burn out!

Batching Work:

Since there are tons of tasks that need to be done, it's easier to create a schedule where like work is batched together. This means like tasks are completed at the same time or on the same day. For example, complete all math grading on Mondays, reading on Tuesdays, etc. Focusing on one subject area makes it easier than switching back and forth between all the subjects.

Batching also comes in handy when entering grades on the computer. I find it easier to enter ALL my grades on Thursday each week. I only log in one time and quickly type everything in.

I even use batching to make copies. My favorite time to do this is Friday evenings. Most people race out of the building. Usually all my lesson plans are already complete. Because of this, I know what needs to be copied. I power through and make everything for the entire week at this time. 

Carving Time for Yourself:


The best thing I have ever done for myself in the classroom is leaving early one day each week. I randomly choose a day before the school year even begins. This year, it will be Wednesday. No matter how much work I have to complete, I keep Wednesdays for myself. I leave school within a half-hour of dismissal AND I do not bring work home. This part is key. Giving yourself at least one day off for rest and relaxation saves your sanity. Teachers need downtime. If you do not take this time, you may burn out at some point. 

If you haven't started school yet, really think about your schedule in regards to grading, lesson planning, copying, and free time. Taking the time now to organization your schedule now will save you a lot of frustration in the future. It will also set you up to have a super year!

What do you need help organizing in your classroom?

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