Teachers for all grades, from K12 right up to college and university, are leveraging the benefits of smartwatches to help them stay organized. They can provide assistance while running lessons and tracking attendance. One can be helpful for juggling school bell times, managing parent messages, and everyday calendar updates and deadlines. For these reasons, smartwatches are especially useful for those in the education space.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through ways that teachers use smartwatches to stay organized. I’ll present seven actionable tips for using smartwatches to your advantage. Finally, there are suggestions of the best smartwatches for educators.
Why a smartwatch can be a teacher’s secret planner
The best teachers seem to have an internal clock that helps them run class time flawlessly. They shift from one subject to the next like clockwork, finish a lesson in time for recess, and provide enough time for students to get the help they need. But they might have a secret device contributing to their superpower: a smartwatch. These wearables can help in many ways.
Silent cues: A smartwatch can provide silent cues to let you know when a lecture should be wrapping up, when a timed test should be ending, or when silent reading period is over. The discreet nature and instant delivery makes them reliable on-wrist calendars.
Hands-free notes: Teachers can glance at the watch screen for a reminder of their talking points during a lesson or lecture. That’s something you can’t do with a fitness band. You can check out more differences in fitness band vs. smartwatch.
Quick replies: Teachers can respond to parents to confirm they have received the message and will reply with more details once class is over.
Wellness reminders: Teachers need to take care of themselves, too, and a smartwatch can provide reminders to get up and stretch or walk around while grading dozens of papers. It could send an alert about high stress levels or prompt you to walk around the classroom more to meet step goals.
7 classroom-proven smartwatch workflows
Heading into the classroom for the new school year? We have useful tips for teachers to make good use of a smartwatch in class.
1. Silent interval timers for centres and rotations
Set timers for lectures and lessons, tests, breaks, even presentations, to help maintain structure. This helps with time management, reduces distractions, and ensures a seamless class flow. It’s easier than having to glance at your phone or the wall clock. Apple Watch has a Timer complication you can add to a watch face while Samsung Galaxy Watch has routines you can set for one-touch access.
2. One-tap attendance checklists
Using a third-party app like Attendance Radar or Attendy, you can mark kids present or absent to simplify and speed up the attendance process and thus use class time more wisely. Kids check in via Bluetooth or teachers manually record presence from a tap of the name. Some even have digital exit tickets so kids can clock in and out from class.
3. Discreet parent-message triage during lessons
Sometimes, parents need to reach teachers and vice versa during class time. With some smartwatches, set custom preset messages like “yes, he’s here” if parents are worried their child missed the bus or to confirm a child who wasn’t feeling well earlier on is doing okay now. With WearOS, the raise-to-reply feature makes the process both seamless and discreet.
4. Voice memos for on-the-fly grading notes
Teachers are often juggling multiple tasks at once, so a quick way to log notes and ideas through apps like Apple Voice Memos and Google Keep is useful. It could be a reminder to give a student bonus marks for their participation or dock a grade for a student who has consistently arrived late. Teachers can also use voice assistants to quickly add appointments or reminders to their calendar, like an appointment with a student who wants to book one-on-one extra study time or a new deadline for a student who was granted an extension for an assignment.
5. Stand-up and hydration nudges between periods
Reminders to move prompt you to stand up and walk around or at least stretch for a few minutes at least once per hour. Teachers who are deep into grading 20+ papers or tests can easily lose track of time and will appreciate the feature. Other apps can set reminders for things like hydration.
6. Stopwatch and lap times for PE and science labs
Set timers for physical education drills or science labs. With water sports, like swimming classes, a waterproof smartwatch adds greater peace of mind. Teachers of any grade or subject can use this feature for basic tests and class period management as well.
7. Remote slideshow control
A smartwatch can serve as a remote for controlling slideshow presentations from a laptop or other compatible device. Swipe to change slides using apps like Keynote and Wrist Presenter.
Best smartwatch picks for educators (2025)
Wondering what smartwatch would be a good fit for a teacher? These three are fantastic options, including one for Apple iPhone owners, one for Samsung Galaxy smartphone owners, and one that will work with any brand of phone.
Best for iPhone Users: Apple Watch SE 2
Apple has a closed ecosystem which means its products work seamlessly together and only with one another. This makes the Apple Watch SE 2 a perfect companion for teachers who own an iPhone. The watchOS syncs with iPhone and works with tons of useful classroom apps, like Remind, Google Classroom, Keynote Remote, and more. It’s the most affordable Apple Watch you can buy, meeting a teacher’s tight budget. While battery life isn’t as great as with other models that can last for days, even weeks, the Apple Watch SE can last at least 18 hours per charge, which is more than enough for a full school day. With features like haptic timers, focus mode, even the walkie-talkie function to communicate with co-workers, it’s a fantastic option.
Best for Samsung Galaxy Phone Users: Samsung Galaxy Watch FE
If you own a Samsung Galaxy phone, the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE is the Apple Watch SE counterpart for that device. It technically works with any Android phone, connecting via one-tap pairing. But it works best with a Galaxy phone, unlocking all the features and working with the Samsung Health app already on your phone, no additional download needed. WearOS affords access to popular Google apps like Calendar, Keep, and Slides without the need to download third-party apps as well. It’s the most affordable model in the line that retains all the key wellness features you’ll find in the premium models. With an LTE option, teachers can sign up for a separate wireless plan for the watch and leave their phone locked away in a different room to avoid distractions. Other classroom-friendly apps and features include Tasker routines and customizable quick replies.
Most Versatile Option: Garmin Venu Sq 2
If you prefer to stick with a smartwatch that can work with any smartphone, the Garmin Venu Sq 2 is a versatile option that can pair with both iPhone and Android. It’s also one of the best third-party brands you can buy. The smartwatch is relatively affordable and often on sale. Plus, it’s lightweight and has a bright, rectangular screen that is easy to read both indoors and out. You’ll get incredible battery life at up to 11 days per charge. For busy teachers working late nights or who go for morning runs and don’t have time to recharge daily, this can be a lifesaver. The Venu Sq 2 has features teachers will find useful like an always-on stopwatch with timers (think laps during gym class or timed science labs), mindful breathing exercises, and built-in hydration tracking.
FAQs
Still have questions about how a smartwatch can help teachers as you explore some of the best smartwatches on sale? We have answers.
Will a smartwatch distract me while teaching?
It doesn’t have to. Set the smartwatch to Focus or Do Not Disturb mode to silence notifications and it won’t distract you. If necessary, choose certain notifications to bypass that mode so you don’t miss anything urgent. Either way, you can still use features like timers. Alternatively, set the smartwatch to silent mode so it delivers a slight vibration when there’s a notification versus an audible alert.
Is student data secure on a smartwatch?
Both Apple Watch and WearOS watches encrypt data and require authentication before you can access it. Make sure to add extra layers of security like a PIN code and don’t store sensitive data on the watch itself. Only use reputable apps approved by the school board and downloaded from the official app store.
How long will the battery last through a school day?
Even smartwatches with the shortest battery life will last through a full 7+ hour school day, plus a few hours before or after for prep, meetings, grading, and more. A smartwatch like the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy watches only last 18-24 hours per charge but many other smartwatches last much longer. Some, like the Garmin Venu Sq 2, can run for more than a week per charge. Consider a smartwatch dock or portable charger to keep on your desk for a battery boost during the day if you’re concerned.
Can I pair the watch to school Wi-Fi without my phone?
Yes, some smartwatches can connect directly to a Wi-Fi network if your phone isn’t nearby, like for a physical education teacher doing drills in the gym. Most school Wi-Fi networks are heavily protected so you might have to have someone in IT add your MAC address to the approved list. Alternatively, opt for an LTE smartwatch and plan to connect via cellular network even without your phone.
What if the watch breaks on the playground?
Wearing a smartwatch at school can be a recipe for disaster for teachers of younger grades or who do playground duty. Choose an extra durable model, but no matter which model you choose, sign up for extended warranty protection through options like AppleCare+ and Geek Squad. Consider a tempered glass screen protector to add a layer of protection for the screen. There are also fitted smartwatch cases for the most popular models that protect the perimeter of the watch face as well.
A smartwatch can be a useful teacher tool
Teachers may find that in leveraging the best features and downloading useful apps, a smartwatch can be an assistive tool in class. They can help teachers stay organized, be more productive, and manage class time more easily. Shop plenty of smartwatches, including smartwatches on sale, as well as smartwatch accessories, at Best Buy Canada.
Do you know more teacher hacks for smartwatches? Share them with us!
