Saving Time by @cillachincilla

Name: Gem Turner-Lindley
Twitter:  @cillachincilla
Sector:  Secondary
Subject: RE, Philosophy and Ethics
Position: HoD / Teaching and Learning Team
5 Bits of Advice About: Saving time

1. If post does not have your name on it, it will be generic and not specifically for you. Bin it, don’t waste time reading it.
2. Save everything. Have a hard drive with all of your resources and lesson ppts saved for tweaking in the future, instead of recreating them from scratch.
3. Network. Other staff in your department/other schools will have great resources/ideas that will save you time as long as you can do the same for them.
4. Be organised. Keep your desk clear and deal with all paperwork as it comes in – file, action or bin. Then you won’t waste time searching for things.
5. Plan your marking. If you know what piece you are marking in detail you can focus on that, rather than marking books in a general way, which often takes more time.

Staying On Top Of Workload by @mrcjdean

Name: Chris
Twitter:  @mrcjdean
Sector:  Secondary
Subject:
Position: Assistant Principal
5 Bits of Advice About: Staying on top of workload

1. Keep a to-do list and update it regularly. Consider an app; I recommend todoist.
2. Do not use your e-mail inbox as a to-do list. Important things will get lost.
3. Turn e-mails into tasks on your to-do list then delete them. The aim is to have an empty inbox.
4. Every evening, review your tasks for the next day and prioritise the three or four most important things. This is the art.
5. Accept that many things on your to-do list will never get done. If you have done advice 4 well, you should be fine.

Workload Management by @AnnaSte06637523

Name: Anna Steele
Twitter name: @AnnaSte06637523
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): English
Position: Assistant Headteacher
What is your advice about? Workload management

1: Make a list, but don’t expect to achieve everything: it’s okay for some things to roll over. But the process of crossing off is rewarding.

2: Plan when you’re taking assessments/ large essays in: stagger your year groups so you’re only dealing with one pile at a time.

3: Don’t avoid marking – it’ll just grow. Attack it head on armed with stickers for quick praise and success criteria that you can tick or highlight.

4: Split marking of large classes into piles of tens or fives to make it seem like you’re achieving something and the pile is in fact going down!

5: Don’t underestimate the small jobs you can achieve in mini time slots: calling / emailing a parent, creating a homework resource, marking 5 books…

Planning and Surviving by @missaudsley

Name: Marilyn Audsley
Twitter name: @missaudsley
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Physics
Position: teacher
What is your advice about? planning and surviving

1: Set time limits for planning, so you don’t spend three hours planning one lesson. Planning time will expand or shrink into however long you allow for it.

2: Make sure you have (at least) a few evenings and a weekend day where you just do not work. See friends, watch TV, sleep; just don’t work.

3: Prioritise tasks and accept that you can’t do everything asked of you to a level of perfection you may be used to. The to do list is endless.

4: Don’t listen to whingers and don’t become one. It doesn’t help, brings everyone down and is tedious. Positivity can get you through tough times.

5: That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tell someone if you are finding things difficult. There will be supportive staff who can and will help you.

Workload by @heymissprice

Name: Emma
Twitter name: @heymissprice
Sector: Primary
Subject taught (if applicable):
Position: UKS2 teacher
What is your advice about? Workload

1: Use holidays to try to get ahead with planning by at least a week. This gives you a buffer if you’re ill or knackered.

2: Don’t be afraid to politely say no if what you are asked to do is too much. Ask for time.

3: Mark maths in the classroom with the kids; important for them to see own mistakes and saves valuable time.  NEVER take maths books home.

4: Don’t take on extra responsibilities to appear helpful. It will likely sink you.

5: Accept that good enough sometimes really is absolutely fine. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

Work/life Balance by @misterheeley

Name: Martin Heeley
Twitter: @misterheeley
Sector:  Secondary
Subject: MFL
Position: Teacher (NQT+1)
5 Bits of Advice About: Work/life balance

1. Make sure you have at least one day free on a weekend and one evening a week.
2. Try to do you work at school where possible. It makes sure that you don’t turn your home into your workplace.
3. Do your photocopying the night before, not the morning before your lessons. I’m learning this year how much stress it helps avoid!
4. Find what works for you to help you unwind – reading, Netflix binge, gym, playing an instrument.
5. Remember: you can say no to things. You do not have to say yes to everything – you will not be judged for turning things down.

Workload by @Cherrylkd

Name: Cherrylkd
Twitter: @Cherrylkd
Sector:  Special School
Subject: History
Position: AHT
5 Bits of Advice About: Workload

1. You will never get to the end of your ‘to do’ list. Don’t even try. Prioritise and re prioritise.
2. Don’t do anything on the first time of asking no matter who asks. Chances are the new initiative will be forgotten or changed.
3. Don’t go in early and come home late or you’ll burn out, do one or the other. Don’t work more than one afternoon at weekend.
4. If you are getting overwhelmingly stressed talk to your mentor or a middle leader. If no joy go to SLT, they have a duty to look after your well being.
5. Don’t struggle and remember you are not alone. There are plenty of ITT mentors and NQT mentors on Twitter willing to help.

Workload by @nicjprice

Name: Nic
Twitter: @nicjprice
Sector:  Secondary
Subject: Science
Position: Former teacher
5 Bits of Advice About: Workload

1. You will start off with verbose planning and excessive resourcing. Analyse which parts are actually helpful and stop doing the rest.
2. Identify tasks that are required but do not benefit you/the pupils. Work out what the minimum requirement is and do no more.
3. Don’t spend time crafting or searching for perfect resources. Find resources that are ‘good enough’ and spend your time thinking about how they are used.
4. Establish routines that mean pupils do all the menial tasks (including some marking). Drill these routines so everything runs like clockwork.
5. Managing behaviour leeches time and energy. Don’t dwell, just follow the system to the letter, do your bit and demand that others do theirs.