Who says your grade book has to be a spiral-bound paper book, or that your tests and quizzes have to be made from scratch? There are numerous software packages available to help make basic teaching tasks easier and to save you time. And for teachers who are already overworked and have classes that are over-enrolled, time is a premium.

Here are some of our picks for the best software available for teachers:

1. Master Grade

This easy-to-use software compiles information for all of the students in your classroom, including attendance and assignments by type and grade weight. The software also allows you to create spreadsheets for all of your classes, to make seating assignments, to generate term reports and more. There are also detailed profiles for students.The software is available for $39.32 for Windows or Macintosh.

2. TI-Nspire

Texas Instruments, the well-known makers of graphing calculators, created this software, which allows teachers to streamline all of their instructional content. The software includes a library of lessons that are ready to use and gives teachers the option to modify activities or create their own lessons. There is also a large catalog of questions that can be used for discussion or testing, and the questions can be chosen according to type (open-ended, multiple choice, etc.). There are also numerous options for using the software in class and for communicating with students.

3. Schoolhouse Test

This software allows teachers to easily create and print a test, quiz or exam. Teachers can navigate the software by assigning a level and category, then selecting questions. There are also options to create test questions based on diagrams or other images, to use fill-in-the-blank questions, and to create tests based on math equations. And, of course, there are multiple choices for question types in order to assess different learning styles.

4. Markin

Students like to submit work digitally, so instead of printing out papers and marking them up with notes, teachers can use this software to digitally annotate essays and term papers with comments and other notes. The marked papers can be e-mailed to the student individually, or they can be uploaded to a web server for viewing.

5. 1st Class Gradebook

Here’s another software package that will allow you to keep track of your grades electronically. You can enter grades, create reports, and build profiles for your classes or individual students. The software is available for a free trial, and after that, it costs $69.99.

6. EVE2 Plagiarism Detection System

Don’t spend hours on Google researching a paper you suspect of being plagiarized — let this software do it for you. The software searches Web sites for matching content, then provides a report showing side-by-side comparisons of the content. It claims to work faster than plagiarism-detection Web sites. The cost is $29.99.

7. Flipbook Printer

Make your own Flipbooks from .AVI files printed on business cards. These can be used as a classroom activity, or teachers can create their own flipbooks for classroom use. The best part? It’s a free download.

8. Vocabulary Worksheet Maker

Teachers can use this software to make word searches, crosswords, jumbles, and other vocabulary puzzles and activities to help students learn vocabulary. There are numerous options for activities that teachers can create, and there are also study guides that can be given to students. Costs start at $59 for this software, which is available for multiple Windows platforms.

9. Instant Lesson Planner 2000 Plus

This handy software lets you create and organize your lesson plans for safekeeping year after year. The interface allows for editing according to state standards, learning objectives, and more. There are also options to link to tests, activities, worksheets, and more. This software makes keeping track of your files easy!

10. Disciplinary Referral Sheet

This software makes filling in disciplinary forms fast and easy. It also allows teachers to keep track of what forms have been submitted and to track history with a particular student. There are also options for parent communication. A free trial is available.