Teachers can often be strapped for time between lesson planning, researching curriculums, and, of course, teaching.
Anything that can save a few minutes here and there is treasured.
Luckily, somebody is always coming out with new resources that are supposed to benefit both teachers and students by helping with organisation and saving on wasted time.
But a classic resource that you may be overlooking, is stamps.
Stamps should be an essential part of any teacher’s school supply list. They can make anything easier from marking assignments to organising tasks or even motivating pupils.
Teacher stamp sets are an easy and very affordable way of upgrading and enhancing your teaching style and should not be forgotten about.
As a teacher, you probably have many things on your mind. It is easy to forget if a student worked with you on a certain task or if you’ve given feedback.
Stamps like these, which can be found on stamps4u.co.uk, can help you keep papers in order and jog your memory if they need looking at again.
A simple organisational system like this can cut down on the time you spend searching through notes, and can help cut down on stress overall too. This means, you are one step closer to tackling that ever-growing stack of work on your desk.
The best teacher hack is to find a fun way to get your students to help you stay on top of things. One of my fondest memories from school is getting to use my teacher’s very official ‘100%’ stamp whenever I got perfect marks.
Students tend to like a bit of responsibility, especially if it involves using one of the stamps they always see the grown-ups using.
Having a stamp station where they can mark their work with the corresponding stamp, whether it be “completed” or “independent work”, can help students feel proud of the work they have completed, and motivated to do more.
This is great for both you and your pupils. You have one less thing to do in your busy day, and they have one more thing to look forward to.
Isn’t it every teacher’s ultimate goal to have a lasting impact on their students? Each teacher will have their own way of setting themselves apart from all the other teachers their pupils will have.
If you’ve got a special phrase you always use or a funny doodle your students love, why not put it on a stamp? You can make a child’s day by doing something as simple as stamping your signature catchphrase on their paper.
Or perhaps you are known for decorating your classroom with dinosaurs. You can create a stamp with your name on, and dinosaur holding up an A.
This is simple, one stamp and you are done. For the students though – They got a dinosaur from you! How cool is that?
Next time that student does an assignment, they’ll strive for the best mark they can get in hopes of getting the dinosaur stamp from you again.
Marking is arguably one of the most time-consuming aspects of being a teacher. Sitting on the sofa in the evening with stacks of tests and a red pen is a scene that is surely all too familiar.
You don’t want to compromise on your classic smiley face and “Good Job!”, but doing that for every paper can be tedious. Using stamps as a stand-in for your handwritten words of praise still lets the students know their work is acknowledged without having to spend an extra hour writing it 30+ times.
The same goes for suggesting ways pupils could improve on their work. Whether it be a gentle reminder to read directions or just a note to come and see you after class, these can all be quickly stamped and passed along.
There are loads of ways you can utilise stamps in your teaching.
Using materials, such as coin stamps, to teach kids about money can make learning a little bit more entertaining for students. Visual aids like these are very beneficial when it comes to teaching more-complex concepts that can be hard to imagine.
Instead of drawing out every single pound coin in a maths problem, you can let the student stamp it, and therefore count it.
Such a small thing can make a noticeable impact on your life as a teacher and, sometimes, a simple solution is all you need.
Lower your stress and raise the bar on your efficiency as a teacher.
It is definitely worth considering how you can change your use of resources in a way that enhances your own teaching style.
Basic resources, such as rubber stamps for teachers, are often disregarded as an effective way of making life a little bit better for teachers and students alike.
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