How might secondary school teacher handle routine chores like taking attendance to maximize the time for learn

Answer 1

When I taught 8th grade English, I always had a journal assignment on the board every day. The kids would come in and immediately get busy with it -- it would take them about five minutes, long enough for me to take attendance and get "set up." The content area teachers would have sample test questions on the board every day....so that the kids would be used to seeing proficiency-type questions.