As the holidays approach, time, and having enough of it, seem to be the hot topic of conversation. I enjoyed reading chapter 12 from Routman, especially when it talks about keeping work simple. So often, I find myself trying to get overly creative and cute with what I have my students do, when really it is the simplest projects and ideas that seem to work the best. I have learned that not everything has to look like it came from teacherspayteachers.com.
I really took to heart the section of the chapter that discussed reevaluating time blocks. I want to take the time to reexamine my daily schedule and see if I can find more time in the day. I need a schedule makeover! Too often, I feel that the hectic days we are all faced with force me to neglect a subject that otherwise should have received more attention. The true instructional time we have throughout the day, I feel, leads me to not teach or expand far beyond the standards. I was amazed, when I looked at the example schedules in the chapter how some schedules were completely transformed into having more time for subjects. If I am able to transform my schedule like I am hoping I can, I feel I will have more time to fully teach the standards and even beyond.
Ah, teachers new and old constantly try to get more time out of their day! As you move through your first year and beyond, you will naturally find ways to address standards and beyond in many ways. Thus is the journey that you have embarked on and through which you will grow as an educator as you look to your students and their needs to drive your instruction. Simply providing the time and opportunities for learning that keep them engaged will most likely bring you the greatest joy and the greatest growth for you and your students. Enjoy the journey!
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of a "schedule makeover"! How fun would that be to have someone come in and over an "extreme schedule makeover"? That would be a top-rating show in the Teacher's Learning Channel! :-)
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