TM4T Step-by-Step 2 - Using Your TM4T System

TM4T In Action 2.2.2 Non-Teaching LessonsIn this group of web-pages we look at how we operate our TM4T system. If you want to read about how to set up the system at the start of the year, click here.

In this page, we are going to use the idea of Cycles; you can refresh your memory on this concept here . If you're interested in how the concept of Cycles is applied to Lesson Planning, click here.

• To manage our Yearly Cycle, we will use our Yearly Plan, which we produce at the start of the year. We should look at the Yearly Plan at least every week.

• To manage our Weekly Cycle we will use our Weekly Plan, which we produce at the start of each week. We should look at the Weekly Plan at least every day.

The other key document in TM4T in Action is the Ticklist, which is explained here. These three documents are all that is needed to use TM4T effectively. You may find this remarkable, considering how complicated your school life is, but most of the complexity should really be embedded in your lesson planning and teaching, not your everyday administration. Three documents, that's all you need.

What should an efficient teacher actually do, though?

Well, for a seven-point summary of how an efficient teacher uses their time, click here.

Considering it in more detail involves three things:

1. What you do at the start of the week

2. What you do during the week

3. How you do it

Taking these in turn.

First, let's consider what happens at the start of each week. Click here. At the start of each week, we prepare a Weekly Plan which shows not just where and when we are teaching - our teaching timetable - but the what-when-where of our lesson planning and assessment, and the TM4T slots where we will deal with projects and disruptions.

Next, let's look at what happens during the week. Click here. During the week, we basically follow our Weekly Plan. This contains TM4T activities like Ticks-and-Twos, Tens, Daily Checks to ensure we are effective.

Finally, let's look at the four success factors, the things that will determine how efficient you are. Click here. These four factors involve knowing how much time to spend on things, knowing how to work efficiently in an office environment, knowing how to work as part of an administrative team, and knowing how to use technology effectively.

...and if you have been using time management techniques for a while, you may find some obstacles arise. If so, consider the barriers to success described here.