This page summarises the general techniques used in TM4T. These are not deployed in any predefined step of the method or in specific situations; they add value or save time in a great variety of contexts
You may already have read about the step-by-step Problem Solving method we will use to tackle any and all issues which involve time. This is summarised here. You may wonder, though, exactly how you will apply this in practice. This is explained here.
One of the key points in the TM4T method is the regular - no, constant - decision making. This involves a single simple question: 'can I do this in one minute or less?'. If the answer is yes, we do it. If the answer is 'no', we write it down, on our Ticklist. Our Ticklist is tackled - or processed - once a day with our XA mindset, and the task, whatever it is, gets dealt with at the appropriate time. Our XA role, of course, will consider chunking the task so it can be tackled efficiently. All of this requires Estimation of how long tasks take. Read more here.
You may already have read about Chunking - breaking tasks into smaller tasks. To read about how this applies in practice, click here.
TM4T encourages the use of standard approaches to reduce workload and stress. One very helpful set of techniques is found in Quality Improvement. These are summarised here.
Good planning should enable you to practice Time-Shifting, a valuable way to reduce stress. Read more here. Another well-proven stress-reduction technique is Timeboxing, which is explained here.
You may be inclined to regard Problem Solving as a technique, though in TM4T it is regarded as a fundamental principle. Read about it here.
There are two techniques which don't feature much in TM4T: Multitasking (read why not here) and Prioritisation (read why not here). For some reason, Prioritisation does seem to appealy to teachers a great deal, though it rarely seems to offer significant benefits. If you really want to use it, guidance is here.