2020 taught us A LOT of things! For teachers, one of the most important things we learned was how to be flexible and how to do virtual learning. The problem with teaching from home, for a lot of teachers, is the ability to stay organized and productive while parenting, teaching, and relaxing all in the same place.
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When it comes to working from home, I wouldn’t say I am an expert, but I have been doing it for over a year now and it has been trial and error, for sure.
I’ve had to figure out how to work from home, without a boss (I’m the boss), and hold myself accountable to the work I need to get done. But I have found some things are a must when it comes to working in the same place you live.
First and foremost, you need structure.
That can mean a lot of things like the structure of the space you are working in, structure in your day, your routines, your teaching, your “time-off”.
Yes, you heard me, even taking some time off and relaxing requires a little bit of structure. Really everything needs a structure.
How to Stay Productive While Teaching from Home
In this podcast episode (and blog post) I break down some practical ways to stay productive and organized while teaching from home.
I’ve also put together a free online course for teachers called Working from Home: Teacher’s Edition. In this free course I cover how to:
- Structure your day (schedules, routines, to-do lists, and meal planning)
- Organize your teaching (lesson planning, Google Drive, online teaching tips)
- Organize your classroom from home (organize your email, files, curriculum map, management, and lesson plans)
You can get access to the free mini-course by clicking here!
Organize Your Workspace
Let’s start with your workspace.
Ideally, a separate area of the house with a desk and space to put your teaching or work supplies would be the best.
But it’s not always possible. In fact, I have my own little office nook in my house with a full office setup but somedays I just wanna sit at the kitchen table.
Even when I do that, I still have structure. I bring my notes journal, my planner, my jar of flair pens, and my Powersheets Goal Planning Journal.
^^^Those are the things I need to ensure that I stay productive.
Structuring Your Day
Next is structuring your day. You do this two ways.
One is through a schedule whereas the other is through routines.
If you are feeling out of balance or like this quarantine thing is throwing you off your rocker, really ask yourself “do I have a schedule?”
Of course, a schedule isn’t going to fix things like your husband being home all.day.long or your kids asking for snacks every thirty minutes.
But the great thing about a schedule is it helps you get back on track when you get off.
Inside the Working from Home: Teacher’s Edition we go over how to create intentional to-do lists so you can structure your week and your days effectively.
Structure Your Teaching
You also need structure to your teaching.
You need an organized way to communicate with parents and students, an organized way to send and receive materials. All of this needs to be thought out as much as possible.
I’ve opened up the Working from Home: Teacher’s Edition free mini-course and it is available for you today to help you set up the routines, structures, and boundaries you need to try and stay sane while you blend teaching from home. I’ll share more about what’s included at the end.
Connect with Kelly
In Conclusion,
If you want to make the most of your time teaching from home, be sure to have structures in place. Structures like:
- Your AM/PM routine (both for home and teaching)
- A defined area for you to work
- Your daily schedule
- Your teaching routine
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Until next time,
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