Angela Jackson post #7 - Ch. 12 You Only Have So Much Time

 As my first year of teaching comes to a close, I have reevaluated all aspects of my experience. What I once thought was the way to go,  I now know some things were a waste of time and effort for both me and my students. I have been utterly exhausted staying at school some nights till way past 7pm. I felt as if I could not leave until every part of my classroom was set and ready for the next day. I did not do a good job of working efficiently in the few hours after school to get things done so I could go home. Yet, when I got home, I was still up till the early morning hours thinking about my lesson plans and trying to figure out what in the world I was doing!!

This chapter really helped me put everything into perspective. The author states that teachers, "should live interesting lives, and that we need to stop feeling guilty about leaving at a reasonable hour so we have time for our families." Wow, what a concept! :-) I don't feel that I will be able to leave at a reasonable hour (3:00pm- 3:30pm) just yet, but I will work towards it in my second year of teaching.

This year I have had epic fails and I have learned from them. The author has helped me understand that I need to,"keep student work meaningful by reading and writing worthwhile texts that expand their skills, knowledge, and thinking." While I have no control of the schedule, I have learned to make the most of the time I do have. The read/write workshop has allowed me to maximize the limited time we have to read independently.

Lastly, this section has caused me to reevaluate the time I spend for professional development, personal and professional reading, and time to reflect.