Organization for Time Utilization

Many colleagues ask me how I manage to teach all I do within the time limits of my schedule (30 min lessons with 15 minutes of checkout).  My answer is how I organize before the students arrive.

First, I created a system of how the students come in to sit.  Many of my lessons involve either working in small groups or pairs.  Having to group students during the lesson takes up too much time!  So, I have signs to label where the groups are located and I number students as they walk in.  Students have learned (2nd and up) my expectations of grouping and sitting.  The first to be numbered and sitting in a group automatically is the "leader" for the lesson.  Leader has automatic tasks such as handing out supplies, retrieving the group's answer and speaking for their group.  Students know to sit with 2 on the first step and 2 on the second step and to leave supplies alone until asked.

Next is preparing supplies before they arrive.  I keep a supply of pencils and clip boards in the lesson area.  I preload and distribute the number of papers (on clipboards) and pencils for each group.  Often, students work in groups or pairs and I only give enough papers for one per group or one per partnership.

I am now in my 2nd year of using this system.  It took a few lessons of helping the students organize, but the time was worth it.  There is no more time spent haggling who will be in partners or which group they will work with.  I have even found many teachers come in with groups already made.  Even the teachers can be trained!