From the outside, a teacher’s job seems smooth and easy. But a closer look reveals the enormous tasks and duties of a teacher. From managing discipline to planning lessons, a teacher has his/her own share of challenges. This article looks into how teachers can manage these challenges effectively.

Teachers handle a lot more than just teaching. Even the simplest of duties involve great mental and physical energy. A teacher has to synchronize all duties and juggle them adeptly. There are some areas which a teacher could handle effectively through careful planning and integrating modern resources.

Challenges faced by teachers

Below are some of the challenges faced by teachers:

• Assessment management
• Time and task management
• Parent communication

Each of the above is integral to the effectiveness of teaching as a whole. Teachers need a tactical approach to address them.

Efficiently managing assessments

Teachers conduct assessments throughout the year. Grading papers, analyzing projects, and observing students’ work – teachers have to continually track students’ progress and report it if necessary. All this calls for setting class work that accurately capture students’ learning and performance. Besides this remains the task of grading, recording and communicating the outcomes of a student’s assessment.

A teacher can expedite the assessment process by:

• Spacing assessments: Teachers need to provide time for students to grasp the teachings before setting the tests. This also gives the teacher time to research the topic, set the task, and review it.
• Managing tasks digitally: Teachers can create and schedule assessments through an online ERP like My School Campus. They can send instant notifications to parents and students. Grades too can be updated online thereby saving time and reducing paperwork.
• Present varied assessment types: They have to conduct written, oral and active assessments to measure student’s learning styles comparatively.

Optimizing time and task management

With a long list of tasks, teachers have to deftly manage time. A major part of teacher’s time, even when planned to the last detail, goes in:

• Maintaining class discipline
• Answering queries
• Attending to urgent matters
• Down-time between lessons
• Moving to teach the next class

While these are small amounts of time, when combined they result in a large time-loss which in turn affects task management.

Teachers can optimize their time in the following ways:

• Prepare beforehand: Take out a day or two to plan every lesson and activities for each class. Prepare the lesson plans down to dedicated time slots for each element.
• Ensure full attendance of students: Communicate to parents how absenteeism leads to a backlog in teaching thereby affecting the whole class. Encourage attendance among students.
• Schedule restroom breaks: It may seem a trivial matter but is actually not. Schedule restroom breaks for students for maximum teaching time.
• Delegate tasks: Save teaching time by delegating to the students little tasks like distributing worksheets and collecting homework.
• Automate tasks: Automate your tasks like scheduling assignments, tracking attendance, generating report cards and more with an online ERP.

Improving parent-teacher communication

An effective communication system between parents and teachers is vital for the educational progress of a student. Till recent times, teachers have communicated with parents through school diaries, dictated notes and the occasional parent-teacher meeting. This communication pattern led to indirect communication, miscommunication, delay in parents receiving important notices, and inadequate discussion on student’s growth.

Teachers can strengthen their communication with parents through:

• Technology:
  • SMS, emails, phone calls – instantly reach out to parents via mobile phones or desktops/laptops.
• Cloud based school management system:
  • Send automatic notifications and alerts to parents regarding school news and their ward’s performance.
  • Send timely updates
  • Keep parents involved by sharing school and student related information
  • Easily schedule meetings with parents

Get a more in depth look on parent-teacher communication here.

Teachers can increase their efficiency and mobilize their ideas by implementing these solutions. Collaboration and communication with students as well as parents aids the goal of teaching. A fine blend of careful planning, smart scheduling and utilizing technology goes a long way in effectively managing teaching.