Teacher Lesson Planning Strategies for Ultimate Efficiency

Teachers spend over 50% of their work hours on non-teaching activities. This is usually due to lesson planning! This often leaks into personal time, leaving teachers feeling overworked and stressed.

But lesson planning is an essential part of an educator’s job. So how can teachers save time on class planning without sacrificing quality?

Look no further! This article offers several strategies for teachers to cut down on planning time. It covers adding daily routines, using online platforms, and more.

Form a Daily Routine for Your Students

One way to cut down on planning time is to put in place a daily classroom routine. Dedicate some time each day for reading, peer-review, or other self-guided activities. You could also add a welcome or registration routine for when students first arrive.

With younger students who need more supervision, you could start each day with a game. This will help them to review their previous day’s learning.

You can cycle a few different games, so you’ll only have to prepare them once. Then you can reuse the materials each time with small adjustments to fit the subject.

This way students will know what to expect each day and they will settle down into learning faster. This can also help with behavior management, as there will be fewer disruptions!

Implement Mini-Lessons

Planning mini-lessons are a great way to cut down on planning time. These lessons usually don’t last more than 10-15 minutes. This means that they have to be clear and concise, keeping the students clear and focused.

You can use these classes in different ways for older and younger students. With younger students, follow up with constructive playtime, a game, or an art activity. With older students, encourage group work, as well as student-guided presentations and feedback.

Try Using Social Media for Inspiration

Social media is full of fun tips and tricks to make your lessons fun and faster to plan! Websites like Pinterest have lots of free and printable resources to add to your plans.

You could also try looking on sites like Etsy. There you can find other teachers creating and selling lesson plan packs. You can find lesson plans and resources suitable for different ages and subjects.

Use Online Learning Platforms and Content 

Using online resources is a great way to cut down on lesson planning. There are lots of great Youtube channels, forums, and online learning platforms to use.

Derivita, an online maths platform, is a good example. It has real-time assessment tools, a huge question bank, and feedback functionality. These can all save you time and energy when it comes to class planning.

Become a Lesson Planning Pro!

Lesson planning can sometimes feel overwhelming. But doesn’t need to be a stressful task! Implementing these ideas will help cut down on planning time, without lowering the standard of education.

Found this article helpful? Then check out our education section for more blogs on teaching-related topics!