Setting Priorities

Early childhood educators have many responsibilities and demands on our time in the classroom. How do educators choose what to focus on with many activities competing for our attention?

I searched through multiple books on business and education to learn how other working professionals choose priorities and employ daily practices to achieve their goals at work. I found seven practices that support educators when choosing priorities in their daily classroom work. As you read each one, think about how it can support your work with children and help you grow as an educator.

Organize Your Day –Creating an outline for your day is an effective way to select priorities. A best practice is to create your strategy for the following day at the end of the current workday. Always leave space in your outline for unexpected daily challenges that require immediate attention.

Attend to Interruptions – There will be changes in your daily outline daily. Change is the nature of our work with children. Trying to fight change and keep on a schedule creates stress. When classroom challenges arise, give them your full attention, then resume working on your daily outline.  

Lists are your Friend – Instead of trying to remember all the tasks in your workday, create lists and save your brainpower for working in the present. Create a list for each unique work project. When the time arrives to work on that project, look over your list, choose what to focus on, and work on that project for the time available.

Work on Tasks at Regular Intervals – Early childhood educators organize paperwork, pictures, documentation, and communication of the children’s classroom experience. To manage paperwork, create a daily or bi-weekly appointment outside the classroom for this work. Implement each work session in small batches on specific tasks to support focus.

Is Your Priority Attainable? – Often, our plans for the workday change because of our work in the classroom. If the task you planned to work on does not fit into the flow of the day, let it go until the next day instead of trying to squeeze it in. Waiting is more effective than rushing through a task to get it done.

Am I Making a Mindful Choice? – Because of the fast-paced nature of the early childhood environment, we often make hurried choices that may not align with our priorities. Our mindset is essential when making decisions. Take a moment to think if your decision aligns with the goals of your learning community.

Leave Time for Self-Care – No matter how many priorities we have in our work life, taking time for self-care is an essential part of being an educator. We will never be able to finish everything on our to-do list. Educators are more effective at work when we take the time to nurture our bodies and mind outside of the classroom.

How do you choose priorities for your daily practice?