• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Ms. Rachel Vincent

A Teaching Blog

  • Home
  • Blog
    • Management
    • Organization
    • Teacher Tools
    • Back to School
    • Seasonal
  • Shop
  • Resources
    • Management Guidebook
    • Back to School Roadmap
    • Kickstart Your Year Blueprint

5 Tips for Making the Most of your Planning Time

June 29, 2017 by Rachel

Welcome back to part 3 of Plan Your Way to a Better School Year
If you missed the first two you can check them out here:
Part 1 – How Year Long Planning can save you time
Part 2 – How to do all your lesson planning at school
You might be thinking, Rachel, all this planning sounds great in theory, but how do I make it a reality?
I’m glad you asked!
5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Planning Time
5 tips for making the most of your planning time!

 

 

Tip #1 – Write it down

5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Planning Time
Writing out what you need to do will, first of all, get it out of your head and give you more space to think about other things!  Secondly, it gives you a reference place to see what you’re supposed to do next.  When you get back to your room after dropping your kids off at specials or car line, it’s easy to get distracted by emails or the pile of papers on your desk.  Having a place to look and see, ok…it’s Tuesday…it’s time to plan next week. 

Tip #2 – Avoid Social Butterflies

5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Planning Time
This tip will be easier for some and harder for others.  There is a time and a place for socializing!  I personally try to save that for lunch, recess, and before staff meetings.  I sometimes will socialize for a little right after school, but it’s really easy for me to step away from conversations.  If you know you’re prone to lose track of time chatting, then you may want to avoid the after school chats.  Let your coworkers know that you’re not being rude, but you really need to get some work done.  99% of the time, they will understand because they have work they should be doing too! 

Tip #3 – Choose the time that works best for you

5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Planning Time
If you read my post about my weekly planning schedule, you saw that I didn’t include a lot of things to do before school.  That’s because I’m not a morning person!  I need a slow start!  I’m much more productive in the afternoon!  If you’re better in the morning, then do some of your planning then!  Do what works best for you!!

 

 

Tip #4 – Use your summer wisely

5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Planning Time
Please for the sake of your family and future students, take time to rest and rejuvenate yourself!  But I know that if you’re anything like me, you’re going to want to work on school stuff.  And that’s okay!  But be wise about it!  Think about what tasks would be most beneficial to you for next year.  This next sentence may be hard for some of you…I know it is for me sometimes…but how beneficial is redecorating your classroom?  Trust me…I get it…I LOVE decorating my classroom!  And I have spent MANY summers focusing only on that.  But think about this for a moment.  Wouldn’t you rather be able to leave school each day at a decent time?  Wouldn’t you rather be able to enjoy your weekends and not have school work hanging over you?  If you do things that are going to help you achieve those goals, you much more likely to be a happier person regardless of how great your classroom looks.  So what kind of things could you do?  Create your year-long plan, find new resources or ideas and save them on Pinterest, prep new resources.  Here’s how I justify if I should spend time on it…I ask myself this question:  Will this save me time during the school year?  If I can’t say yes, then I don’t do it.

Tip #5 – Give yourself some grace

5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Planning Time
Teaching isn’t easy and there will be times when you don’t get done what you wanted to.  Maybe you do end up chatting with a coworker for an hour instead of planning.  Or maybe you just had a rough day and you can’t stand the idea of planning the next week!  Girl, give yourself some grace.  Allow those moments to happen….feel all those feelings….go home without planning a thing!  Just because things don’t go the way you planned, doesn’t mean you should give up or throw it all out the window.  Just pick back up tomorrow and keep on keepin’ on!
So tell me below, which tip will you work on this year?

 

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

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Unknown says

      July 11, 2018 at 3:49 PM

      Hi Rachel,

      I've really enjoyed reading all through your blog. Great tips, hints, ideas, and suggestions! I can't seem to get to the free resource library. I've signed up twice now and nothing is showing up in my e-mail. Would love to check out the stuff you have there.

      Thanks and looking forward to seeing more great "stuff"!

      Audrey

    2. Rachel says

      July 11, 2018 at 5:26 PM

      Audrey, I'm so sorry you're having difficulty. Send me an email at rachelatalldrinkofwater[at]gmail.com so we can figure out what is happening! Thanks!

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome! I love sharing ways to simplify your classroom and your teaching

    Follow Me

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram

    Find it fast

    Footer

    Disclosure

    I sometimes use affiliate links in my content. This won't cost you anything but helps keep this site up and running. Thanks for your support!
    • Amazon
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    MS. RACHEL VINCENT © TERMS · PRIVACY POLICY · BRANDING + WEBSITE DESIGN BY LAUGH EAT LEARN

    Back to Top

    msrachelvincent

    Rachel | 4th Grade Teacher
    🍂☀️ Embracing the Seasons: Which One's Your 🍂☀️ Embracing the Seasons: Which One's Your Fave? ☀️🍂
Is it the vibrant colors of autumn, the warmth of summer, the freshness of spring, or the coziness of winter? 🍁🌻🌨️ 
As for me, I'm all about that Pumpkin Spice Season! 🎃✨ There's just something magical about sipping on a pumpkin spice latte while the leaves fall around you. It's a true autumnal delight! 🍂🍁
Share your favorite season in the comments below, and let's celebrate the unique joys each season brings to our lives! 🌟🌸🍃❄️ 
#FavoriteSeason #PumpkinSpiceLove #EmbraceTheSeasons #TeacherLife #CozyConversations
    🎉🍫🔥 Have you heard about the S'more Treat 🎉🍫🔥 Have you heard about the S'more Treats for Teachers event for 2nd-5th grade teachers? 📚🍎 We're giving away an amazing prize package worth over $250! Plus, up to 18 freebies and loads of $1 and Half Price Deals to help you in the classroom. 🎁 
Swipe ▶️ to see what you can grab from my store for only $1!
Don't miss out on this sweet opportunity to stock up and save for the school year. 🤩 Click my link in stories or find all the goodies here:  https://sherrimiller.my.canva.site/smoretreats4teachers #SmoreTreats4TeachersEvent 
#teachersofinstagram #teachersofinsta #iteach #iteachtoo #teacherspayteachers #tpt #elementaryteachers #upperelementaryteachers #teacherresources #teachingideas #teachersoftpt #igteachers
    Ready to take your classroom management game to th Ready to take your classroom management game to the next level? Look no further – I've got something special just for you! 🚀🌈
Check out my FREE Guidebook for Classroom Management – tons of strategies, tips, and insights to create a positive and thriving classroom environment! 📒✨
🔑 From effective behavior management techniques to fostering a strong classroom community, this guidebook is your key to unlocking success in managing your students' needs and fostering their growth! 🌟📝
🌟 Ready to embrace a classroom where every student thrives? Click the link in my bio to grab your FREE Guidebook for Classroom Management and embark on a journey towards a more organized and joyful teaching experience! 🛍️🌈
Tag your fellow teachers who could use a little extra classroom management magic, and let's create classrooms where learning and growth flourish! 📚🏫 Together, we'll make classroom management a breeze! 💫🔑 
#FreeGuidebook #ClassroomManagement #TeachersSupportingTeachers #EducationMatters #TeacherLife
    Let's talk about these trusty Multiples Charts! 📊✨
🧠📝 For those students who find memorizing multiplication facts a bit tough, these Multiples Charts are here to save the day! 🚀🌈 These charts become their superpower when tackling complex math problems, guiding them toward success step by step! 💪🔗
🔢 By providing a visual reference of multiplication tables, we empower our students to build a strong foundation. They'll gain the confidence to take on math challenges with a positive mindset! 📚🤗
🌟 Click the link in my bio to grab your Multiples Charts 🔗
Tag your fellow teachers who could use this math magic, and let's help our struggling learners thrive in the world of numbers! 📊🎉 
#MultiplesCharts #MathMagic #EducationMatters #TeachersSupportingTeachers #StudentSuccess
    🔢🎮 Fun Alert: Free Multiplication Memory Gam 🔢🎮 Fun Alert: Free Multiplication Memory Game! 🎮🔢
I've got something special to share with you and your students – a FREE Multiplication Memory Game! 🌟🧠
Struggling with those tricky multiplication facts? Don't worry, I've got your back! This game is a super engaging way to practice and master those numbers that sometimes trip us up. 📊🚀
🃏 Simply match the multiplication problem with its correct answer, and watch your memory skills grow as you play! 🧩💪
Ready to level up your math fun? Click the link in my bio to snag your free Multiplication Memory Game and help your students conquer those facts with a smile! 🛍️🎉
Tag your fellow teachers who are all about making learning a blast, and let's share the magic of math in a fun and interactive way! 📚🎲 
#FreeResource #MultiplicationMagic #EducationMatters #TeachersSupportingTeachers #LearningThroughPlay
    If you could press a button for a teaching superpo If you could press a button for a teaching superpower, which one would it be? 🤔🔮 
1️⃣ Read minds for 3 days – Imagine the insights into your students' thoughts! 🧠📚
2️⃣ Skip to Friday afternoon – Who doesn't love a bit of time travel, right? ⏰🎉
3️⃣ Double your lunch time – More time for that delicious meal! 🥪💤
4️⃣ Never grade papers again – Say goodbye to the paper pileup! 📝✨
5️⃣ All meetings are emails – No more meeting madness, just organized communication! 📧💬
6️⃣ Always have hot coffee – Keep that caffeine flowing for endless energy! ☕🚀
Which button would YOU press? Share your choice in the comments below and tag a fellow teacher who'd love to join the fun! Let's embrace our teaching dreams and sprinkle a bit of magic into our day! ✨📚 
#TeachingSuperpowers #TeachersRock #FunChoices #TeacherLife #EducationMatters
    Load More... Follow on Instagram