Why and why you should use a timer in your class.

​

• Keep students focused: During various times for group work or individual study activities that are not teacher lead, some students may have difficulty staying on track.  Displaying a timer that is easy to see on your interactive whiteboard can help keep students on track.

• Classroom  management: The time we have in our lessons is limited so it's important to make good use of the time we do have.  Throughout a class, there will be various tasks that students might take their time to do unless given a set amount of time to do it.  Having a timer displayed will encourage students to work faster.  Some situations that come to mind are: 

  • Getting ready for class

  • Completing a worksheet

  • Completing a group activity

  • Cleaning the tables/floor after a craft activity

  • Having a break

• Set a limit to your class games: Heck, we all love a good class game but generally, that's not the purpose of the class.  The purpose of the class is to teach students the day's content.  Often we can get a bit carried away when playing games and time sure does fly by!  Before playing a game, set the timer with the intended play time.  This ensures time isn't wasted in class.

• Break time: Students aren't robots and they need breaks, too.  It can be beneficial to students to have a short break in the middle of the class.  When I have a break in my class, I often use a timer like this and give students clear instructions on when class will resume.  "Now, we'll have a three minute break.  We can go to the restroom and talk quietly for three minutes."

​

These are just a few ways that using a class timer can be beneficial.  I'm positive that you will find even more uses in your class!