5 Classroom Hacks to Make Your Day Easier

Teachers are always looking for classroom hacks and time management strategies to make their classroom life easier. Time is short in the classroom. Also, teachers will use anything that works when it comes to adding those few extra minutes. What works for you and what works for another teacher may be different. However, I wanted to share with you some incredible advice, insight and classroom hacks from other teachers and sellers.

This post does include affiliate links to products on Amazon.

My Personal Classroom Hack

I wanted to share my classroom trick and hack: QUICK CLASS LISTS. This has been a game changer for me!

First, on a half page of an 8 1/2 x 11 page of paper, I type out my entire class list. Then I copy it, and create two copies of the class list per page. I choose a color for each class, so I can easily identify each class period.

Second, on the list, I include the name of the assignment, the date, and I leave space to check off an assignment. Every assignment I collect or check off, I start a new list, so I can attach it to the assignment. I can write notes, and I have an accurate checklist for the work. The convenient part is I can just clip it to the assignment, or start a pile of assignments I need to enter into Infinite Campus, our online grade book. This definitely alleviates the headache of the traditional grade book. I can easily check back to specific assignments. Check out the pictures below!

Sometimes, I will use one sheet to check off more than one assignment if it necessary. You can see this in my vocabulary and spelling assignments in the pictures.

Try it out! This may work very well in your classroom, especially when you are assigning multiple assignments at one time!

Would you like to try out this template?

GET IT FOR FREE RIGHT HERE!

Classroom Hacks from Veteran Teachers

Here are some other wonderful, insightful classroom tricks and classroom hacks from some of my amazing teacher friends!

Kristi A Moore-TpT Store, Moore English, 6-10 years of teaching:
“I teach 9-12, and my students begin the class 2-3 times a week with silent reading. While they are silent reading, I take attendance and then go around to 5 or so students and conduct a comprehension interview. I first read about this in Jan Richardson’s book, The Next Step Forward and adapted it to the high school classroom. This gives me a quick, formative snapshot of where students are, makes sure I check in with each student at least once a week, and it also provides me with a “disguise” I can use to chat with students about missing work, personal struggles, or anything else that’s on their minds. “

Here is the Jan Richardson’s book, The Next Step Forward:

Pamela Bryson- A Texas teacher with over 20 years of experience:
“I think it is significant to have, “class discussions about problems in the class–behavior, unfinished assignments, tardies, etc.. Sometimes the students have information you don’t have. Sometimes being heard equals feeling valued. “

Cheryl Meany-A NY teacher with over 15 years experience:
“As far as a classroom management hack, I give my students many controlled choices. For example, I have flexible seating in my room, and I allow my students to self-select their seating option (they move chairs to their assigned space in the room). They maintain that responsibility unless there is an issue. Same with tasks like throwing garbage away, borrowing materials, using the bathroom, etc.. They can move around the room as they need to as long as they are respectful and let me know where they are off to. The students feel like they are a partner in the classroom rather than an inferior, even though behind it all, I control the choices they have. It’s amazing what a little autonomy (or the allusion of autonomy) does for classroom management. “

Charlene A.-TpT Store, Making ELA Matter:
“Save time at the beginning of the school year by re-papering and setting up your bulletin boards at the end of the previous school year and then covering them. I have 4 small bulletin boards, 2 large bulletin boards and one long header bulletin board in my classroom.

The first year, it took my 2 plus days just to set up these boards. I always do The Outsiders with my 7th graders as the last unit before summer, so while they watch the movie on those last days, I can tend to tasks I need to do, such as setting up and covering my bulletin boards for the next year. I usually re-paper and put the borders in place and then cover them.

Another tip is to buy some inexpensive posters and laminate them (there are many free things teachers can find online and have printed and laminated at local stores). When I start to set up my classroom for the new school year, I remove the covering, and if I’m short of time, I can temporarily put the posters in place until I can set up the bulletin boards. HUGE time saver at the beginning of the year when the last thing you may have time to do is set up bulletin boards. “

Wendy Bichler-Find Wendy on Instagram!
“A doorbell is my new classroom management hack. It has helped as a warning and for transitions. For example, instead of me constantly reminding students to quite down, or yelling at them to switch stations or tasks. The doorbell has been a game changer. I also use a few different forms for missing work and kids who will be gone that have been effective to keeping me organized and my kids organized. “

Find the wireless doorbell right here:

I hope these classroom tricks and hacks help your classroom, and they set your on a successful path for the rest of the school year.

If you ever have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at englishohmy@gmail.com. I hope you are having a wonderful school year!