Time- A Teacher's Worst Enemy

Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock...Time- A teacher's worst enemy.

20 minutes for morning work

60 minutes for centers

75 minutes for reading

20 minutes silent reading

60 minutes for math

20 minutes for read aloud

30 minutes for remediation

As a teacher I feel like there are just never enough hours in the day.  There are never quite enough hours to feel accomplished.  Since I made a promise to myself last week that I would stop bringing so much home, I seem to leave school each day with a sense of anxiety.  That last stack of papers that needs filing.  Those emails you didn't get to this morning and really need to respond to.  The small groups I need to begin working with but I just have too many other things to do to even plan them out!

I have always been a very regimented person.  I make a schedule and I like to stick to it.  I have never been incredibly flexible with scheduling...

This year that has changed.

The second week of school I found myself really struggling with my kiddos.  I was so worried about starting the curriculum on time, staying on schedule, doing super fun activities that I skipped some very important relationship and team building activities.  I posted a status on Facebook about it and a guy I used to work with said that I MUST make time for team building.  Time for relationship building.  If I do, then everything else would be easier and just kind of 'melt' into place...

The very next day I started over with my class.  We got to know each other.  We laughed and figured out how to work together.  And the days since then have been much better.  Although I am behind schedule I know it was the right decision to make.  They still drive me absolutely crazy a few times a day but at least I feel content that what I don't get done today, I will get done tomorrow.  And if it for some reason gets skipped tomorrow, I can write it in for the next day.

That is hard for me, but I am learning.  I've found that, just as my students do, I must evolve.  I can't rush them through a project just because "we need to move on".  I can't take fun preview or review activities out out of my lesson plans because "we just don't have enough time".

I must take teaching one day at a time.  My bucket is still full, and I am having a pretty good week.  I am letting things flow as they will, while still staying on track with curriculum as much as I can.

I've learned that teaching is a mixture of consistency and 'shooting from the hip'!

One of my students' favorite parts of the day is the time right after our morning work when we recite our classroom rules and expectations, then do our class song.  This is something that we do every morning, no matter how late we get started.  It kills me when we start off the day already behind schedule, but this is something that I will not compromise on.  Making time for this is a must!

                                    

Our class song is "What I Am" by Will.I.Am and Sesame Street!  I wanted to share this song because of the effect it has had on the overall environment of my classroom.  The lyrics are incredible, the song is catchy and the kids love it.  They sing along and even get up and dance when I play it.  Find it here.  It is truly a great way to start our day off right.

I am so glad that my friend posted on my status with his words of wisdom.  I am sure that it changed my entire year.

Time- A teacher's worst enemy, only if you let it be...