The Importance of Time Management in the Classroom

Proper time management leads to effective learning in class.

The classroom of the early 21st century runs at breakneck speed due in part to the advent of standardized testing and the necessity to accomplish a large amount of academic progress in the limited frame of the school day. Effective time management in the classroom is essential in creating an environment in which children can learn.

Increased Academic Study Time

When you make use of time management in the classroom, you increase academic time. With studies for standardized testing consuming so much of the school year, it is important to manage your time so you can fit in subjects that might otherwise be overlooked, such as science and social studies. An important aspect of time management is the transition from one subject to the next. Make sure students have set procedures and know verbal and nonverbal cues for moving from one subject to another to avoid wasting time on getting out books or other items needed for the next class.

Behavior Control

Students who waste time in class talking or fooling around may lose valuable hours that would be better spent on schoolwork. Because most schools have less than eight hours a day in which students are to learn core subjects such as math, English, science and social studies, it is important that students socialize only at recess or before and after school. In addition, students who act out may agitate even the better-performing kids. Establish a clear set of rewards and consequences for students to follow to control behavior such as excessive talking, name calling, and distracting activities to make the most of your class time.

Individual Attention

Performing multiple tasks is one benefit of practicing time management. When you are able to structure your classroom to make optimal use of your time, you can use the extra minutes to help students who have special needs. For instance, while you have one group of good readers doing a buddy read followed by a sequence chain, you might be working with students in a less capable group that need individualized attention with reading and comprehension skills.

Extracurricular Activities

When you are able to use your time wisely due to better structure, procedure and rule enforcement, you may leave time during the day for activities that might otherwise not be possible. For instance, you might schedule 15 minutes of the day for a game of spelling baseball, password, multiplication bingo or an art project with the extra time you save.

Physical Activity

With obesity on the rise among school age children in the early 2000s, it is important to fit physical activity into the day whenever possible. Practicing good time management allows you to leave time for recess, video exercise or transitional physical activity. For instance, when moving from one subject to another, you might have students run in place, do jumping jacks or stretch for one minute. This can accumulate significantly throughout the day and give kids a boost of energy to increase their attentiveness.

References

• Eric.ed.gov: Effective Classroom Management and Instruction
• Teacher.scholastic.com: Seven Time-Management Sanity Savers
• Scholastic.com: Time Management