Teaching can be one of the very best jobs in the world for those who love to get into the classroom and pass their knowledge on to young minds. But we can all use some help from time to time to make the job that little bit easier, right? 

Here, we take a look at ten of the very best life hacks you can bring into the classroom to make your job just a tad easier. 

Use emails

Emails are almost outdated in the world of social media, but they can be a great way to stay in touch and engage parents. If you're assigning homework, why not send it in an attachment to your parents' mailing list so they always know what's going on? 

QR codes

At a parents' night, some attendees will want to know how they can stay in touch before the next meeting so they are able to keep track of their child's progress. More and more teachers are utilising smart technology and setting up a simple QR code parents can scan to get their contact info.

Technology and learning

It's easy to want to stifle the use of technology, particularly in high schools where smartphone use can be distracting. But why not embrace it? Ask pupils to research online and use their smartphones to actually learn. Chances are they'll be far more engaged this way. 

Apps

Getting control of a class of children is never easy, but you can make it far easier for yourself by downloading apps that set off an alarm when pupils get too loud. It's a far better alternative to raising your voice. 

Reminders

Are your pupils prone to forgetting things? Paper wristbands with reminders them can be not only useful but fun, and students will get used to having reminders on their wrist, meaning they will be far less forgetful in the future. 

Pom poms

Are you always losing your white board eraser at the exact moment you need it? There's nothing worse, but you can rid yourself of this problem by gluing small woolly pom poms to the end of your white board markers. Ready made erasers on top of your markers at all times? Result. 

Hand signals

When you're trying to teach, it can be a pain to have to interrupt a lesson for a pupil to ask if they can go to the toilet, borrow a pencil or have a tissue. So why not use hand signals? A system of different signals for different requests can mean you can continue teaching without having to stop and start all the time. 

Finished drawer

When pupils finish their work, they can often become bored and start distracting others. A drawer specifically for those who finish quickly, filled with craft materials and brain teasers, can be a good idea for occupying them and stopping them from putting others off their work. 

Start the day right

You want to get off on the right foot every day; we all do, and pupils are no different. You can help them start the day with a smile by telling your cheesiest joke each morning, or why not ask each of them to take a turn? It'll make for a fun start to each day. 

White boards

Who doesn't love writing on white boards? Pupils love to copy their teacher, and it can be a great idea to allow them to write on their own personal white boards while you do. These can be made very cheaply as well. Use plastic table cloths from pound shops stretched over cardboard for instant personal white boards.

In any classroom, striking a balance between serious learning and fun can be a fantastic way to ensure the kids are kept engaged and interested in what you're teaching them. 

Having fun activities and keeping things light from time to time means pupils don't dread coming to class, and means they're far more likely to listen to you, especially when they've got something to look forward to. 

We take a look at the top ways you can help make it fun in your classroom. 

Start the week right

Monday morning isn't the best time of the week for anyone, let alone kids who have just enjoyed a fantastic weekend with their friends and family, and getting people engaged with work at this time of the week can be hard. Why not let them start their school week with memories of the weekend. 

Have some circle time on a Monday morning and allow kids the chance to tell everyone else what a great time they had. Doing so will mean they feel excited about what they did at the weekend, and you'll start your teaching on a happy note, giving more scope for better Monday learning. 

Fun time

In many schools across the country, fun time or golden time can be a good way to incentivise kids to get everything done and do well in their school work. Once a week, set aside some time to allow those who have worked hard throughout the week have fun. 

It's a good idea to award time to kids throughout the week so they feel like they've earned a little time to do what they want on a Friday afternoon. Let them choose from a range of games, craft activities and other fun things and they'll look forward to it all week. 

Sing along

The rise of movies such as Frozen has given kids a new love for the world of singing along to popular songs, and you can bring this into the classroom with a little singing time as a class to let everyone express themselves. 

Choose one afternoon a week to get everyone together in one place and have a good sing along. It can even be a good idea to let people take turns choosing the songs you'll all sing so that everyone really feels like a part of it. 

Crafts

Everyone loves crafts and being arty, and kids perhaps more so than anyone else. We all loved Art Attack as kids ourselves, so why not bring the spirit of Neil Buchanan back into your adult life by showing kids how they can be creative with things they find at home.

Invite your pupils to bring things from home and then challenge them to turn them into great works of art that can have pride of place as decorations in your classroom. Not only will this be great fun for all involved, it'll be a fantastic way to allow more creativity to flow through your lessons.