1. Maximize in-class learning time throughout the school year.
Research shows that the more on-task instructional time students have in class with their teachers, the more they learn. This seems intuitive, but student schedules are complicated. As a teacher of elementary, middle, or high school students, you need to make time for things like bathroom breaks, clean-up sessions, morning meetings, and other activities.
As a result, the first goal to consider when making a new schedule is how to increase and maximize instructional time in your classroom. Which procedures can you eliminate or automate? How can you activate thinking and creativity as soon as your students step into the classroom? Can you use a visual schedule on the whiteboard or a bulletin board to spark interest as students unpack their things and get settled into class? Are there “do-nows” or “bell ringers” that can help students get ready to learn right away?
2. What kind of school schedule do you have and what kind do you need?
As a former classroom teacher, I know that your schedule is also dictated by your particular school schedule and activities. Does your school have block scheduling? Or 45-minute classes? Or frequent assemblies? Once you create a skeleton class schedule with one of our ready-to-use templates you can adapt it to your class periods to maximize learning time. Consider which school activities you want for the whole group, small groups, or individual students.
3. List activities by importance.
If you‘re an elementary school teacher with a self-contained classroom and you can plan your whole day, consider listing your classroom activities in order of importance. Children are often most ready to learn the most difficult concepts first thing in the morning, so consider introducing new material after students settle in for the day. Schedules can be less rigid for older students, so you can either review old material or introduce new material at the start of class.
4. Explore editable classroom schedule templates.
At Adobe, we‘ve created a ton of adaptable and easy-to-use classroom schedule templates for you to use right away. Explore the many high school schedule examples and middle school schedule examples to find which formats will work for your needs. Starting with a professional looking schedule template and using the first three tips in this article will have you ready to present an engaging visual schedule to your students in no time.
