Maximizing instructional time is a big challenge for most teachers. Peter Drucker said it best, “Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.” Therefore, in order to give students a fair chance at learners maximizing instructional time must be at the forefront of the teacher’s goals. How can I as a classroom teacher maximize time spent on learning in my classroom? I maximize instructional time by implementing several oldies but good classroom management strategies. First, teachers must instill responsibilities from the first day of school and put their students through an intensive responsibilities boot camp training so that the students know what to do and lessons run smoothly. For example, teachers should require students practice organization. Without organization the student wastes too much time trying to find paper, homework, etc. In order to properly teach organization, rules must be put in place, and enforced, giving students a guideline to follow. The teacher must be organized as well. Posting the daily agenda and time and beginning class on time are just a few examples. The teacher must designate certain group norms and meeting areas also so students always know where to go and with whom.  Second, no matter how well organized the teachers and students are it won’t make a difference if the class is a mess. The classroom should have a very neat and orderly system in place. There needs to be proper traffic flow for time management and safety. A seating chart should be in place so that students are focused on the teacher and learning, not their friends. Assigned areas should be designated for labs, group activities, reading, conferencing with the teacher. Third, procedures should be implemented and posted for the students to see. For example, opening activities should have a definite time it takes to get started, where the activity resources are located, and busy work for students that finish first or students that arrive before class starts and are waiting on the bell. This should also be implemented for closing activities. How much time does it take to finish? How much time is allotted are two very important implementing questions for a teacher’s closing activity organization. Fourth, the teacher must have a housekeeping system set in place to maximize instructional time. The teacher needs to avoid spending too much time on such chores as taking attendance, homework collection, absences, make-up work, and announcements. Fifth, transitions are another important strategy teachers should use in order to get the very most instructional time. A smooth transition from one activity to another might include the teacher posting names for each activity to help students quickly get from one to another. A smooth transition from individual work to group work might include designated meeting areas and prior role creation to assist students in knowing where to start and what to do once there. A smooth transition from individual work to labs would definitely only be possible if the teacher had first taught lab expectations. A smooth transition from station to station might happen more effectively if the stations were mapped. Last but not least, what happens if…A student is tardy? A student receives a discipline referral? A visitor enters? A student doesn’t have a pen, pencil, paper, etc.? The phone rings? A student is called to the office? The key to maximize instructional time is using proper transitions?

A perfect situation in which I adjusted the length of time of a project to more closely match student skill levels and attention span is during our Bubbles of Gas lab. Even though this particular activity stands out, let me be clear, I adjusted and still adjust lessons constantly. With this particular project I had estimated for one full class period. The first full class period I could only spend time explaining the vocabulary and concepts due to student skill levels being extraordinarily low; therefore, I adjusted the lesson plan to reflect two full class periods for the lab. Then, the next day the class attention span was very short. One reason might be that I spent too much time the day before on lecturing and note-taking; therefore the lab lost momentum and excitement from students. Once again I was forced to add another day due to student attention spans, and was finally able to complete the lab with my students on the third day.