Teachers manage heavy workloads in a variety of ways, but there are a few time-tested ways to address the issue to get make the most out of lessons. From involving school administrators and adapting existing content to adjusting assignments and priorities, here are a few tips to try when reducing teacher workload.

Read on for the complete list of tips. Or it you’re looking for EdTech solutions to streamline teaching and learning, learn more here.

Teaching can be challenging. What appears at first to be a 7 AM – 3 PM job can quickly turn into an 80-hour plus workweek filled with grading papers, attending meetings, creating lesson plans, and managing students.

This level of overwork can have devastating consequences. According to a 2018 paper by the Consortium of Policy Research in Education, more than 44% of educators leave teaching within the first five years.

But teaching doesn’t always have to be like this. In this post, we’ll break down some key ways you can effectively manage your workload so you can spend less time grading papers and more time on yourself.

Communication with Administration

Just like any relationship, communication is key to success. If you’re struggling with lesson plans, curriculum requirements, or other issues, let the administration know. The school administration is there to help you succeed at your job. Administrators can do everything from providing mentoring under a more experienced teacher, to hiring a teacher’s aide to help you in the classroom.

Prioritization

One of the most popular concepts in time management is the Pareto principle or the idea that 20% of your efforts produce 80% of the results. When teaching a specific unit, ask yourself what’s the most effective way to reach your students.

Is it through group projects? Book reports? Individual testing? Prioritizing the most effective learning methods and cutting out busy work will drastically decrease the amount of time you and your students spend on non-productive tasks.

Delegation

While giving your students your full attention is important, it’s also important to be able to delegate. As an educator, your job is to teach. It’s okay to delegate smaller tasks like rearranging desks or passing out tests to your students.

Doing so not only frees up your attention for more important things but also gives students a sense of ownership in the classroom.

Want a few more ways to manage work and life? Check out 6 Ways to Improve Teachers’ Work-Life Balance

Keep it Simple (and Assign Less Work)

When it comes to work, everything you assign will eventually come back to be graded. For tasks like assignment planning, remember that less is more. Rather than spending hours grading everything by hand, try using software like Google Classroom to grade quizzes
automatically.

Aim to assign homework and quizzes that enhance a student’s understanding of a subject
rather than just trying to fill up a schedule. By simplifying and streamlining your assignments, you’ll cut down on your workload and give students more time to focus on
assignments that enhance their understanding of a subject.

Adapt Existing Workload

While curriculum planning is important, it’s equally important to actually adapt your workload to how students are performing. Sometimes if a section is taking a bit longer than
normal, it’s okay to modify upcoming lesson plans to fit this new slower pace.

The key isn’t just to pass state benchmarks but rather to go through and ensure that students have a solid understanding of the subject material.

Yearly Unit Plans

Rather than looking at lessons on a day-by-day basis, try looking at the big picture for your classes. Instead of creating weekly lesson plans, try creating lesson plans based on units
and what ideas you want your students to walk away with.

Doing so will help you focus on the bigger picture and clarify your goals for your students.

Final Thoughts

Teacher workloads are as high as they have ever been, or even higher for those who are tasked with adapting their teaching to a digital education. There are ways that teacher manage workloads, however. A few simple actions can go a long way towards a better work-life balance.

Visit ViewSonic’s education solutions to learn more about how we’re helping educators teach their way. Or learn more about how video-assisted learning can streamline your lessons: Video-Assisted Learning: Using Educational Videos to Teach.