Management tips for English teachers

 

Hey, teachers!  Whether you work in a public or language school, all teachers have one problem in common - we always lack time. Lesson planning, finding materials, checking students' papers, grading, communicating with students and even parents outside of classes, and, finally, professional development - all these things take a lot of time, energy and require our efforts every day. So what can we do to make our lives easier and find some time for ourselves?

Tip # 1. Let the students do your job

In fact, when in classrooms, we quite often do things that students can handle on their own. For example, checking exercises and grading. Provide students with correct answers and ask to check their work on their own. Alternatively, they can do this in pairs, checking each other's answers.

Tip # 2. Use more student-centered activities

Student-centered activities such as working in pairs, groups, games, and speaking are important for the development of communication skills. These are student-centered activities that increase their interaction time, reduce TTT significantly, and, therefore, teachers have to concentrate less. All you have to do is a demo of how to complete tasks, put students in groups and monitor.

Tip # 3. If something went wrong, pretend it was your plan

In the CELTA course, we are taught to anticipate most of the problems that may arise in the lesson. However, it is impossible to predict everything down to the smallest detail. We never know how many students will get sick and skip a class. We cannot be sure that the Internet connection will be stable, the presentation will work well, or a document will open. The main thing is not to panic about how you will look in the eyes of students if something goes wrong. You made the lesson plan yourself, they don't know what it was. And remember, no one is perfect.

Tip # 4. Learn to trust your students

Admit it, you often thought, ‘If I'm not in the classroom, they don't work’. As an innovative teacher, try to reconsider your relationships with students and create a positive learning environment. Students need to be given more independence and autonomy rather than teacher control.

Tip # 5. Organize your workspace

Your workspace should be organized so that you can easily and quickly find everything you need for your work. This will save time and nerves. You should feel comfortable in your workplace. Start with something easy, for example, your desk. Create special areas, such as a reading corner, art shelf, center stage. Don't forget to decorate your classroom or your background in Zoom, for example, with photos, posters, illustrations, etc. From Grade Center