Teacher Thursday Timesavers
One timesaving classroom tip every Thursday, written by a full time teacher and instructional technology coach. Short enough to read on your prep period.
Teacher Thursday Timesavers is a free weekly series for K to 12 teachers. Every Thursday there is one new tip covering a tool you can actually use the next morning, things like Google Workspace, Canva, AI planning tools, free author events, and classroom gear worth the money. Each tip is written in plain language, with the steps laid out and nothing assumed. No big budget, no long setup, no waiting on anyone else.
- How to Use ClassDojo for Parent Communication
ClassDojo is a free classroom platform, not just a messaging app. How its family communication tools work: messaging, Class Story, translation and records. - How to Set Up Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Ups in Google Calendar
Set up parent-teacher conference sign-ups in Google Calendar. Step by step screenshots, buffer time, and three booking pages for in person, video, and phone. - Scholastic Storyvoice: Free Live Author Events for Your Classroom (Full Fall 2026 Schedule)
Scholastic Storyvoice is free, live and weekly. The full fall 2026 schedule of all 17 author events, plus 15 ways to use a read aloud in your classroom.
About this series
What is Teacher Thursday Timesavers?
It is a free weekly classroom timesaver published every Thursday on Teacher & Family Deals. Each one covers a single tool or workflow, explains what it does, and walks through how to set it up.
Who writes it?
Jenn, a full time classroom teacher and instructional technology coach who has been running the Teacher & Family Deals community for about eight years.
How long does a tip take to read?
Most take under five minutes. They are written to be read quickly and used that same week, not filed away for someday.
Does it cost anything?
No. Every tip is free to read and the tools featured are free or have a free tier unless the tip says otherwise.
How do I get each new tip?
The newest tip is linked in the daily Teacher & Family Deals email, so you do not have to remember to check back.