Prep Time

Using it effectively to get it all done

It is the time of year where the crunch is setting in, if it is not fully in place already.  Assignments are requiring feedback on a regular basis, long term projects are ramping up, you are being asked to plan for your formal observation, parent conferences are happening, you are talking with colleagues about students of concern, and….fill in the blanks.   Life is pretty busy in schools.  

Last week I wrote about work time and you time, and some thoughts on how to make sure that both exist.  One lesson I learn, and regularly re-learn the hard way, is that I need to use my time during the school day and school week as effectively as possible. 

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

So how do you plan your day around all of these moving parts to be able to complete the work effectively?  It helps to have a plan and to stick to it.  This means looking at the week ahead, although most weeks will operate the same, and portioning out what time is available and what you can use it for.  Use the school calendar, the weekly newsletter, organize your emails, whatever you need to do to make sure you have all the meetings you need to attend logged on your calendar. 

Think about what work or preparation needs to happen while you are in the actual school building and get that done.  And unless you have a photocopier or a laminator  in your home, this may mean one of these types of tasks..  But remember that this is the work that every other teacher also needs to get done while they are in the school building, so plan accordingly.  When I first started teaching, and perhaps this dates me a bit, the line at the photocopier was the longest in the twenty minutes before school started.  While this offered a nice time to chat with other colleagues who were waiting on the same line, it was not conducive to getting my day off to a good start in terms of being prepared when students entered class.  I scoped out other times during the day that I was free, found a time where few others were free, and made that my time each week to get photocopies done. What is your equivalent of the photocopier line?  Is your purpose in being in the workroom to get work done,  or are you looking to get a little break?  Is it nice to get a cup of coffee from the staff lounge but you lose 20 minutes?  For me it is the tea break.  If I really just want tea, I use the hotpot in my office.  If I want a longer break, and the tea is a bonus, then I go to the Dining Room where I can get tea and some social engagement..

Time for talking with colleagues is essential, we all need the down time each day.  This is why our schedules include contract negotiated duty free lunch time!  When planning for your week, think about the balance between this collegiality and the importance of talking to colleagues as well as about individual workload, and think about times where both can happen.  Often, the most effective time for individual work is in the times before or after school, but this does not work for everyone.  In my first teaching job, I realized that the building was quiet and productive for me in the hour before school started.  I arrived early, went right to my classroom, and was able to get in a solid amount of work before anyone else even arrived.  This meant that when my lunch period arrived, I was able to take that time to sit and enjoy lunch with my colleagues. This is how I work, since I am a morning person.  And I needed to be very clear and disciplined.  If I opened my classroom door, I was signaling that I was open for chatting.  So my classroom door was closed, I often kept the lights low, and I would play music so that I could not be interrupted by morning sounds in the hallway.  

You may work differently.  Some people can work in smaller chunks of time during prep periods, or gain traction in the after school hours.  These are the teachers who talk over coffee in the morning, but who often stay late after everyone has left to get their work done.  Or maybe you have two free periods on one day, one is a work time and one is a collaboration or collegiality  time. Whatever that time is that works for you, add it to your calendar.  And then, let your colleagues know.  Your team teacher stops by regularly during your “work time” prep?  Explain that this is your work time, and plan to meet her at lunch, or find a regular time to meet to plan or discuss. Make agreements and a plan with yourself, and stick to it…you will be less frustrated, more effective, and a better teacher and family member.  

A note to you:

Each week the conversation in my head about which topic is most important and timely now in your school year, and which can wait. What would be most helpful to you or for the new teacher in your hallway?