How do I organize circle and teacher schedules?
A circle schedule works when it is built on level rather than age: students of similar memorization grouped together, one teacher per circle at a fixed time. In Maarij you create the circle and attach its teacher and students, giving you a single reference every teacher works from and every supervisor can check for clashes before they happen.
Building it
Group by level, not age
Two students the same age can be ten juz apart. Grouping by age slows the advanced student and discourages the struggling one at once.
Fix a weekly time per circle
A consistent slot builds a habit for the student and the family. Shifting times are the single biggest cause of repeat absence.
Calculate each teacher's real load
Students × recitation minutes = actual time. A teacher with twenty students needs twice the slot of one with ten, not the same hour.
Keep a reserve teacher
Assign a substitute to cover absence. Without one, a single teacher being away cancels an entire circle.
Define how late joiners are placed
A student arriving mid-term should be assessed first, then placed — not dropped into whichever circle has a free seat.
Rebalance each term
Students progress at different speeds. A group that was even in September is uneven by January — regroup rather than absorb the gap.
Common scheduling problems
- A circle of thirty students — individual recitation becomes impossible however good the teacher is.
- One teacher across three back-to-back circles with no break; quality collapses by the third.
- A schedule that lives only in the supervisor's head, so the program stalls when they're away.
- Not recording why a student moved circles, so the same discussion repeats every term.
Common questions
How many students should one circle have?
It depends on available recitation time. The practical rule: divide the session length by the minutes each student needs. A one-hour circle at five minutes per student caps out at about twelve.
How should I assign students to circles?
By level, not age. Group students with similar memorization volume and pace so recitation moves at one rhythm. Age-based grouping slows the advanced and discourages the struggling simultaneously.
What do I do when a teacher is absent?
Assign a reserve teacher in the schedule from the start. Without a named substitute, one teacher's absence cancels a whole circle and breaks the students' attendance habit.
Circle management guides
Try Maarij on a single circle
Free forever up to 25 students — no card required.