Teaching is an incredibly rewarding profession, but let’s be honest—it can also be exhausting! Between lesson planning, grading, meetings, and classroom management, finding ways to save time without sacrificing quality is essential.
Luckily, there are some tried-and-true hacks that can help streamline your workload and give you back some precious hours. Here are some of the best time-saving teaching hacks to keep you organized, efficient, and sane.
1. Create an IEP Cheat Sheet
If you work with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), you know how time-consuming it can be to draft similar responses for different students. To save time, create a document with pre-written responses for common sections, such as Extended School Year (ESY) eligibility, levels of service, and alternative assessment criteria. This way, you’re not staring at a blank box every time—just copy, paste, and tweak as needed! Check out the IEP Toolkit that has everything created for you!
2. Use Canva and AI Tools for Lesson Planning
Canva isn’t just for graphic design—it’s a powerful tool for creating visually appealing lesson plans, worksheets, and presentations in a fraction of the time. Pair it with AI tools like ChatGPT or Magic School to generate differentiated reading comprehension questions, lesson ideas, or parent communication templates.
3. Batch Copying & Organizing Materials
Rather than making copies every day, print all your materials for the month (or semester) at once. If your curriculum comes in large unit files, print everything first, then sort and collate the pages you actually need. Store them in labeled folders so they’re ready to go whenever you need them.
4. Plan Centers with a Weekly Structure
If you run learning centers, simplify planning by assigning a specific type of activity to each day of the week. For example:
- Monday – Letter Matching
- Tuesday – Writing Practice
- Wednesday – Sight Word Work
- Thursday – Art-Based Learning
- Friday – Sticker or Hands-On Activity
This consistency makes planning faster and more predictable, saving time in the long run.
5. Use Digital IEP & Report Card Templates
Keep a master document on your computer with frequently used comments and templates for IEPs, report cards, and progress reports. This allows you to copy, paste, and personalize comments, rather than starting from scratch every time.
6. Automate Report Card Comments with Mail Merge
If you type the same types of feedback for multiple students, consider using Mail Merge in Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Enter student names and individualized comments into a spreadsheet, then generate full report card comments instantly.
7. Keep a Consistent “Do Now” Activity
Start every class with the same “Do Now” activity to establish routine and free up mental space for planning. Whether it’s a quick math problem, journal prompt, or vocabulary review, this consistency saves prep time and makes transitions smoother.
8. Use Google Forms for Digital Data Collection
Tracking student progress is crucial, but physical data sheets can easily get lost or forgotten. Instead, use these Google Forms to collect data across multiple locations. Forms automatically feed into a spreadsheet, making it easier to analyze progress and generate reports when needed.
9. Pre-Make Lesson Plan Templates
Instead of writing lesson plans from scratch each week, use a reusable template. Highlight key tasks or objectives, so you can simply fill in the blanks with specific content each week.
10. Use AI for Differentiated Instruction
Struggling to differentiate lessons for varying ability levels? AI tools like ChatGPT can generate modified comprehension questions, scaffolded activities, and customized worksheets based on students’ needs—all in minutes.
11. Utilize Digital Classroom Routines
Use Google Slides or PowerPoint to display daily classroom routines, schedules, and expectations. This visual guide helps students stay on track and reduces the need for constant verbal reminders.
12. Set Up a Master Document for Lesson Plans
Create a digital library of commonly used lessons, categorized by learning standards. This way, you can quickly copy and tweak lessons instead of reinventing the wheel every week.
13. Use QR Codes for Quick Access
Generate QR codes to link students to resources, assignments, or videos. This eliminates the hassle of typing long URLs and makes accessing materials seamless.
14. Laminators & Double-Sided Tape for Classroom Materials
Laminating frequently used materials (like classroom rules or center instructions) saves time on reprinting. Use double-sided tape to keep small laminated pieces together, reducing the risk of losing important materials.
15. Implement Batch Planning
Instead of planning lessons daily, batch plan for weeks or even months at a time. Group similar tasks together (like prepping materials, copying worksheets, or grading) so you stay focused and efficient.
16. Keep an IEP Goal Data Collection iPad
If your school allows it, keep a dedicated iPad or tablet for real-time IEP data collection. This makes it easier to track progress on the go rather than trying to recall data at the end of the day.
17. Pre-Plan & Organize Seasonal Centers
If you run centers, plan them seasonally rather than weekly. Set up themed centers that last for a month or a season, reducing the need for constant setup and takedown.
Work Smarter, Not Harder!
Teaching is already a demanding job, so why make it harder than it needs to be? By implementing these time-saving teaching hacks, you can work smarter, reduce stress, and free up more time for what truly matters—connecting with and supporting your students.
