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More Time Savers

No Time for Pencils!
So a couple of your students forgot to bring pencils to class? Solving the problem of forgotten pencils can be a big time waster, so one solution is to keep a handful of spare pencils. Attach to each a long measuring tape of the kind used by seamstresses and tailors. When a pencil is forgotten, the student borrows a pencil for the period and loops the tape measure around his or her neck. At the end of the period, the tape measure serves as a reminder to return the borrowed pencil.

Speaking of Pencils

More Tips

For even more Classroom Management Tips, check out our Classroom Management Tips Volumes 1-41.

Do you have a tip to share? Send it to [email protected].

Instead of correcting student papers in red ink, why not just use a black-lead pencil? If you use a good sharp pencil, you will be able to write longer instructional comments, and you will be able to erase comments the next day if you discover as youre grading subsequent papers that you 1) made a mistake on the answer key, 2) need to re-teach something because all students seem to be getting it wrong, or 3) wrote a comment that you decide after-the-fact was a bit harsh.

Do It Now!
Reduce paperwork by keeping a pen in your school mailbox. When you receive a form that you quickly can fill out and pass back or pass on, do it right then and there to avoid adding one more thing to the paper pile on your desk. Doing small tasks as soon as possible always saves time later on.

Convenient Class Lists
Create a copy of your class list in a narrow column. Copy the column and paste it onto another page three or four times. Print the page, make multiple copies, and cut the pages into strips -- one column per strip. You can use each of these narrow-column class lists for a wide variety of purposes. For example, attach a copy of the list to a stack of class assignments; the checklist will give a quick view of those students who did not hand in the assignment. Use a copy of the list to record returned permission slips, students you call on each day, students whose parents youve been in touch with this month and for 100 other purposes.


Article by Linda Starr
Education World®
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