Job Discussion Forums

[MikeySaid]

How do you manage your time so that teaching, planning and grading don't take up all your time and so that you're still a good teacher?

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

You practice. The first year planning, teaching and grading often do take almost all of your time. Then the next year, you learn to do it a little bit faster while still maintaining the same level. Etc.

That's why teachers who have been teaching for years often seem to be sitting around doing very little- what takes a newbie hours of prep time might take someone who's experienced less than half an hour, and matieral development likewise becomes much faster.

It helps to be working from a curriculum, of course- especially if you wrote it yourself. A big chunk of energy is simply idea generation.

[Glenski]

Sorry, but teaching, planning, and grading DO take up all my work time (other than squeezing in research, phone calls, checking sample textbooks, and other things depending on what sort of teaching job I'm in).

I'm a teacher. What else did you expect to do on the job?

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

I thought he meant AFTER work. Many teachers in their first year will actually be planning and making materials until midnight close to every night (if they are responsible for absolutely everything and have no text).

[steki47]