Kristin Roddy- Blog #7 Routman Chapter 12 You Only Have So Much Time

I find it funny that this was the last chapter I read this year. This whole year I have been panicking about time. Always wondering how I was going to fit "it" all in. I mean you all know that feeling. People don't seem to understand the amount of content a teacher is responsible for squeezing into the short school year. So after a long day of rushing, pushing, and sprinting to the finish line I sat down to read chapter 12. To my surprise the first thing I read was, "I have been reevaluating everything I do to see if the activity has a true purpose or if it's just busy work and a time filler"-wow. I have found myself constantly pushing through the day and always having to push something back to the next day. Then after reading this it was like a light bulb went off. There are so many things I have been able to eliminate from my day. Things that were more so used as fillers. They were used to buy me time to put my bags down, do attendance, take lunch count, and things of that nature. However, the students weren't gaining anything from it. I realized that the worksheets in the morning had to go. This has improved my morning routine in the classroom. I have more meaningful work for the students to complete first thing, and it helps push in more content and ready their minds for the day.