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| This acts as a framework, but of course, when needed the schedule changes. |
The routine needs to include the following:
- Teaching/Learning experiences with and for children--this will take up the majority of your time in school.
- Extra support for students. Setting aside some time for this is helpful to students and the program overall.
- Collegial meetings. Everyone is busy so if you can fit in a few team meetings a week to support collaboration, that's positive. Fortunately at our school we have two weekly meetings built in for this. One is a Professional Learning Community meeting (PLC) and another is a Student Service Meeting (SSM).
- Room set-up, prep, xeroxing, and other details of learning experience design and implementation. Generally I do this work before and after school as well as during planning periods.
- Communication: responding to emails and other administrative tasks. I find that this work is best done before school or after hours in the quiet of my home where I can concentrate.
- Reflection, research, reading, and professional learning/share: a regular diet of learning makes teaching much more meaningful and successful. I generally do this before and after school as well as on the weekends.
- Committee work: I generally set aside one afternoon a week for this.
- Student feedback: I set aside one block a week after school to do the lion's share of this work each week. I generally do this throughout the school day in a number of ways at home where I have a better opportunity to concentrate as I review students' written, online learning, and assessment efforts.
Of course you need to fit in self-care, family/friend needs/time, and some fun too. Teaching makes for a busy life, but giving that busyness some parameters and structure can help you to make good decisions and do your work well.
