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How Year Long Planning Can Save You Time

June 14, 2017 By Rachel 2 Comments

Are you a planner? As teachers, we are required to be planners and to flexible with those plans all at the same time!  But do you ever feel like you just can’t seem to get a handle on all the planning you’re required to do?  This is exactly how I felt and planning usually comes naturally to me!
How Year Long Planning Can Save You Time - Planning Your Way to a Better School Year - Free Template

 

One thing I’ve learned after many years of teaching is that just because you know how to plan doesn’t mean you are planning effectively!  Most teachers are required to do weekly plans and even if you’re not, you still need to know what you’re going to teach!  What I realized is that planning needs to be systematic…a system of when to plan and how to make your planning time more effective.
The Plan Your Way to a Better School Year Series is going to show you how to systemize your planning so that you can leave work at a decent time and have your nights and weekends back!!
Part 1: Year Long Planning
Part 2: Weekly Planning
Part 3: Planning Tips

How Year Long Planning Can Save You Time!

For the past 6 years, I have spent my summer creating year-long plans.  Now, don’t get all nervous on me…they’re not detailed like the long-range plans you had to create your first year of teaching!
They’re just an overview, of what will be taught each week!  This helps in 2 ways…
How Year Long Planning Can Save You Time - Planning Your Way to a Better School Year - Free Template
  1. You can make sure you cover everything you need to by the end of the year (or in some cases, by state testing time)
  2. It makes weekly lesson planning 10x easier!!

Step 1: Schedule the Time

You’ll need to set aside a good chunk of time to complete your year-long plans.  Especially if you are wanting to integrate some of your subjects.  Summertime is usually a great time to get your year-long plans done!  You have the time and brain space to actually do it, plus it sets you up for a successful year!  But if you’re reading this during the year, just plan out the months you have left!

Step 2:  Gather the Materials

You will need to find your school calendar and district’s curriculum or pacing guide to reference as you’re planning.   If your district doesn’t have a pacing guide, then find your state standards to help guide you.  You may want to have a paper version in order to cross things off as you add them to your year-long calendar.  That way you can make sure you’ve included everything.  You might also want to pull any teacher manuals or programs that you use and have those nearby.
How Year Long Planning Can Save You Time - Planning Your Way to a Better School Year - Free Template

Step 3: Create the Calendar

This is where you will put all your topics or units of study.  I have a free template in Microsoft Word available that’s completely editable so you can modify it in order to add your school dates, subjects, etc.
Year Long Planning Template

Step 4: Plan the Year

Once you’ve plugged in your school days, then pick a subject and start planning!  It’s easier to start with a more straightforward subject such as math, but there’s no right or wrong way to do it.  If you want to tie the reading and writing curriculum in with your science & social studies standards, it will probably take a little longer to plan.
*Personally, I print the calendar blank after setting up the dates.  I find it easier to plan with paper & pencil first so I can make changes without having to mess with merging and unmerging boxes in Google Sheets. Then I transfer over to the digital version
Once you’re all finished, sit back and celebrate the fact that you’ve planned your whole year!  Yes, things will change as the year goes on, but at least you have a blueprint for what it should mostly look like.  The best thing is this will make your weekly planning so much easier! 

Click here for the second part to see how to systematize your WEEKLY lesson planning.

  • Rachel
  • Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Featured, planning, Time Management

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rachel D. says

      June 19, 2020 at 8:32 PM

      This looks amazing! Just the resource I need to get organized. How can I get access?

      Reply
      • Rachel Vincent says

        June 22, 2020 at 5:47 PM

        Hi Rachel!
        I just moved my website to a new platform and it looks like the sign-up forms did not transfer over. I have fixed it and you should be able to sign up now. Sorry about that!

        Reply

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    We can all agree that this year has been TOUGH!! We can all agree that this year has been TOUGH!! 
But can we also agree that no matter what someone does this summer doesn’t make them any less of a good teacher.
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If you need to prep some this summer to make next school year less stressful…go for it!!
If seeing other teachers do one or the other and it bothers you…just keep on scrolling. We don’t need to make anybody feel bad for the way they use this summer break. ☀️
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