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Let’s face it. Teaching content standards, managing behavior, and assessing student growth can be a huge challenge especially if you're working with large class sizes and short instructional periods. And that doesn’t include the other tasks you’re required to complete in a single day. Teachers are juggling ALL the things, so how do you maximize every second of class time? With the help of daily agenda slides, you can create a focused, organized learning environment.
So what are daily agenda slides? They are slides on which you display morning work, learning objectives, daily directives, and other information, so students start class focused and on task. When I began using daily slides, I saw a huge difference in what my students and I were able to accomplish. It's a game changer for sure! I'm sharing seven ways agenda slides help organize and focus your classroom routine.
1. Establish an Entry-to-Class Routine
One of the most important routines I establish is entry to class. I use the daily agenda slides to display the bell ringer, materials needed, a motivational quote, and due dates. I always go over the agenda for the first couple of weeks of school to help my students understand how it will be used in class. I want them to notice the setup, what they should expect to see on the slide, and how to use the information to get started successfully.
While students are working on their bell ringer or morning work for the day, I take attendance, complete housekeeping duties, hand out or collect papers, prepare my learning space, and check in with individuals. When my class flows well, it creates a positive, learning environment for the rest of the period. Read about how I use bell ringers to ensure students are practicing grammar, usage, mechanics, and vocabulary every day HERE.
2. Maximize Time on Task
One of the things administrators look for during walkthroughs and observations is time on task. My daily agenda slides communicate exactly what students need to know about the activities they are doing, the materials and supplies they need, and the learning objectives. Your administrator will definitely be impressed!
3. Reduce and Eliminate Inappropriate Behavior
Daily agenda slides also help eliminate and reduce a lot of inappropriate behaviors in my classroom. There isn’t a lot of wiggle room for students to misbehave when they understand and practice the appropriate behaviors for morning and entry work. If they do misbehave, it’s a choice they’ve made because your directions and expectations are clearly posted.
4. Build a Positive Learning Community
In addition to having a well-run class, I’m able to build a successful community of learners with the help of my daily agenda slides. Kids love to be recognized and receive praise for a job well done. Your slides are the perfect place for announcing birthdays, sending best wishes to groups who are competing, or simply giving kudos for great work. Are you still looking for first-week activities to build classroom community? Download a back-to-school bundle of low-prep resources your students will love.
5. Create a Planning Record
I create a file for each year that includes all my daily slides, so I can go back and review a particular week, month, or grading period. I'm able to refer back to the slides and make any adjustments, changes, or additions to my curriculum. This is a huge time-saver!
6. Manage Absent Work
I share my daily slides on Google Classroom (any learning management system) in addition to projecting them on my whiteboard each day. As a result, students who are absent can easily look back on what they’ve missed or check in from home, which saves me time. If needed, I can print individual slides to send home with students as well.
7. Communicate with Parents
Another benefit of daily slides is that parents are able to stay informed. I share the slides in Google Classroom and my class website, so they are easy to access. The slides can serve as documentation of announced due dates for homework and projects, too.
Grab a Free Template
I love the daily agenda slides so much that I’m sharing one template with you HERE to try for yourself! Along with the free template, you'll join hundreds of other teachers who get tips and tools for teaching in my weekly Cheat Sheet email. I’m happy to help you set up your own daily agenda with the template, so reach out if you have any questions. I know it will change your classroom just like it did mine.
Ready to jump in and grab all the editable daily agenda templates? Click HERE to download the discounted bundle.
What are your best classroom management practices for time on task?
Happy Teaching,
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