When I was training to become a teacher, I was encouraged to do tasks like marking, planning and self-reflection in short, manageable bursts. I found this advice to be easier said than done during the early stages of my career. However, I eventually reached a point where I found that I had fully subscribed to a ‘little and often’ philosophy. I have refined it over the last few years and thought that I would share ten of the most useful facets here.
- Keep a note book (or folder) of lesson ideas, activities and homework; keep it with you to jot down ideas on the fly.
- Mark and assess work in small batches avoiding the dreaded “marking pile”.
- Make feedback short and precise to make it meaningful and to keep it manageable for yourself.
- Take 15-20 minutes to reflect on your day: what went well, what didn’t, how can you do better tomorrow?
- Read blogs, articles and books every day – it’s important to keep learning. Save longer material to be read in short flurries once or twice a week.
- Collaborate with others but make meetings short and emails brief; instead get on with the doing, focussing on the outcomes instead, evaluating as you go.
- Share ideas, resources and useful links via email, Twitter or Facebook immediately; don’t wait, don’t stock pile.
- Once a week turn off email, Twitter and other distractions; focus on the work. (If you suffer from severe bouts of procrastination then once a week might not be enough)
- Don’t let things become untidy. Fix displays, put away resources, tidy your desk when you see that it needs doing.
- If you blog, write a bit every day. The previously mentioned note book comes in handy here for drafting posts and recording ideas.