My School To-Do List

Here's a slightly revised version of my own daily to-do list.  My own list is a little more specific (with team names, specific preps, etc.), but it's what I use.  I do not complete list items in a certain order.  Each day I try to prioritize the items based on what's happening in my classroom.

I teach in a middle school, so this may or may not work for other grade levels.  The list below is just an example.  If you're wanting to use your own to-do list, I would suggest creating your own customized list for your specific teaching position.

Daily To-Do List

Before School

• Check email for emergency messages
• Update whiteboard
• Open items on computer needed for first lessons
• Double-check to make sure all supplies are ready

During School/Plan Period

• Grade
• Class 1
• Class 2
• Class 3
• Class 4
• Class 5
• Class 6
• Enter grades into gradebook
• Email
• Make copies for tomorrow
• Planning for
• Prep 1
• Prep 2
• Prep 3
• Enter homework on homework hotlines
• Open items on computer needed for afternoon classes
• Other (to-do list items that come up can be added here)

After School

• Clear off desk
• One last email check for emergency messages
• Gather papers to take home
• Close windows, turn everything off, close blinds
• Set out supplies for tomorrow's first class

Weekly Tasks

Monday - Back up computer
Tuesday - Submit newsletter entries
Wednesday - Meet with colleague for planning
Thursday - Update student missing work forms, update my own record of learning targets
Friday - Meet with team

Daily To-Do List for School

As teachers, there are so many little things we have to remember to do every day.  It's easy to forget some of the important small tasks you need to complete to make it through the day.  One tool to help with this dilemma is a daily to-do list.  Here's how to put it together:

1. Find some quiet time to sit down and think through your day.  This might mean that you'll need to wake up early to have some time alone.
2. Grab a sheet of paper and a pencil.  Coffee is optional, but it really helps.
3. Make a list of all of the things that absolutely have to get done before the students get to your classroom.
4. Make a list of things that you need to do during your plan time, lunch, or whenever you have a spare moment.  These things should be important, but not absolutely essential.  There's a good chance you might not get to any of these items if your plan time and lunch get taken up with any of the many "emergencies" that may pop up during the day.
5. Make a list of things that absolutely have to get done before you can leave the building.
6. Make a list of things that absolutely need to be completed on specific days of the week.
7. Edit your lists.  Add, remove, rearrange.  Try to set yourself up for success by making the list as manageable as possible.
8. Type up your list on your computer and print out one copy.
9. Bring your list to school with you and give it a trial run.  Add, remove, rearrange as needed.
10. After the trial run, re-type your list.
11. Keep revising your list until it works for you.

I always write in extra to-dos on my list each day, but I use my printed out list as my overall guide.  I like to print out a new list each day and write on it.  I try to print it on the back of something that was going to be recycled anyway.  I carry it around with me on a clipboard so that it's always handy, and I can find it easily.

My friend printed out her main list and put it in a sheet protector.  She uses a vis-a-vis marker to check off her items each day, and then she erases everything at the end of the day.

Having this list has really helped me to stay on track during the day.  Does anyone else have any tips that have helped you to stay organized at school?

Thirty Red Pens

Thank goodness for my set of 30 red pens.

I used to spend hours upon hours grading.  I still do, but the grading has gotten a lot easier for me once I realized that my students can grade their own work.  At first, I thought this seemed like a bad idea.  After all, wouldn't students just cheat?

The more I read about formative assessments, the more I realized that I needed to be doing more to give good feedback to my students.  This seemed impossible, considering I was barely getting by with grading student work based on whether answers were right or wrong.

I decided to experiment with letting my students grade their own work.  This is what I did:

1.  I bought a set of 30 red pens (on sale!) for my classroom. 
2.  I assigned an easy-to-grade homework assignment. 
3. I created an answer key for the assignment to project onto the screen in my classroom. 
4. Then, on the day that the assignment was due, I asked students to clear everything off of their desks except for their completed homework assignment. 
5. With the help of student volunteers, I passed out a red pen to each student. 
6.  I projected the answers onto the board, and read through them with the students. 
7. Students drew a star next to correct answers. 
8. Students made a checkmark next to incorrect answers, and then wrote the correct answer next to the question. 
9. Finally, I asked my students to total up the number of stars, and the number of checkmarks they got on the assignment. 
10. They returned the assignment to their class inbox. 
11. I went around the room and collected each red pen (or else they had a habit of disappearing).

Because I only have students grade work that is low-stakes for them, they don't have much of an incentive to cheat.  They would also have to sneak their regular pencil or pen onto their desks to be able to change their answers.  I tell students that I don't mind if they get answers incorrect, but I want them to learn from their mistakes, and show me the correct answer in red pen.

I still grade summative assessments, and a lot of other things, on my own.  But having students grade some of their own homework and/or formative assessments has allowed them to learn from their mistakes, and it has saved me a lot of time.

Image:  from BRICTSoftware.com