Learning How to Prioritize Tasks

It’s no secret that teachers have a lot on their plate. Learning how to prioritize all the tasks expected can be a challenge. Here are some quick tips on how to make balancing those tasks (and your sanity) a little easier.

1. Learn to say no.

Really! You are not obligated to accept every request that is thrown your way. It’s important to be able to say no and not feel guilty about putting yourself first.

2. Keep an agenda.

Maintain a task list of what needs to be accomplished and take care of high priority items first. If something on the list doesn’t get done that day, then it doesn’t get done. Don’t let it consume you outside of the school building.

3. Don’t reinvent the wheel.

There are a plethora of online resources available – many of them free. TeachersPayTeachers is a great resource for content. Even if the lesson plan doesn’t fit perfectly for your classroom, you can tailor it to your needs instead of starting from scratch.

4. Don’t grade everything.

Chose the more important assignments to analyze and grade the other ones by a simple pass or fail. Also incorporate some peer-to-peer group work. Peer review can be a great practice for the students (and for you).

5. Limit your time.

Set expectations for your school after hours availability. Once you hit that designated time, go home. The work will still be there tomorrow, and it’s important that you step away and clear your head.

While this list certainly can’t solve everything, we hope that it helps you balance and prioritize some of your tasks. If you have another suggestion to add, please share with us in the comments section below!