Someone wise once said, “Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping, into the future.” I’m not quite sure where time goes, but I do know it keeps slipping somewhere, especially in a class of 30 kids. Asking questions, talking to students, preparing for the next part of the lesson…all these things can create distractions and send time slipping off somewhere.

One simple way to keep students, and teacher, on track is to use a timer. The problem with conventional timers is that, while they do keep track of time, they don’t easily allow a class to monitor the countdown as it progresses. Some companies have realized this and have created timers that can be displayed on overhead projectors. For a cool $35, you can snag one of these. Or, you can do the same thing for free.

Just use an online timer. The appropriately named Online-stopwatch.com site provides a very simple online stopwatch and timer that you can use to monitor lesson times or student work. The timer can be activated on your computer monitor, and, depending on placement, the entire class will be able to see how much time is left, without having to buy a timer or set up your projector. There is even a full-screen version. When time is up, the screen will flash and a bell will ring, notifying all that it’s time to move on to the next activity.

Beyond the online, Flash-based timer, you can also download a local version of the software, or add a widget to your iGoogle page.

If you ever find yourself, or your students, losing track of time, give this simple, easy-to-use online timer a try. It might help you cut down on all that time slipping into the future. And if you have any other tips for managing time in a classroom, feel free to share in the comments.

Online Stopwatch [Online-stopwatch.com]

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