Blair Wright Blog #7 You Only Have So Much Time

So much of Routman's book has been about children and how to teach effective reading strategies to them as learners. However, Chapter 12 felt like she was speaking straight to the teacher and giving us suggestions on how our lives and classrooms should be. The title of the chapter says it all...You Only Have So Much Time! It's true...as teachers we do only have so much time, but it is what we do with this time that is the most important. There were lots of suggestions Routman made throughout the chapter that really  hit home for me and my classroom on making use of time wisely. The first was that teachers need to be role models for learning, and roles models for living. I will admit that I am guilty of staying at school WAY too late each day. I have a lot going with teaching a new grade this year, working with kids after school, etc. I feel a sense of responsibility to make sure I am prepared and ready each day for my students. What I need to learn is how to always work smarter, not harder, which I am working on. The next suggestion I took to heart from Routman was that it is important to rely on your instincts as a teacher. Don't  use a teacher's guide or what others do to dictate how you teach your students. You know what is best for your students, so trust yourself. Routman also suggested that teachers need to make sure work is meaningful. Students will be more willing to do their best if they know the work is important and connected to their lives.  Work doesn't need to be elaborate and drawn out either, instead keeping it simple and focused could prove to be more beneficial. I agree with this wholeheartedly. Lessons and activities do not need to always be long and drawn out to be effective in student learning, they just need to be meaningful.  Lastly, scheduling is important in maximizing student learning. The chapter suggests that schools sit down and find that is most important in schedules and things that are not. Taking out unnecessary programs or activities could prove to be helpful in time students have to learn and be successful in school. We have a lot of activities and programs that take students out of the classroom. It may be beneficial for us to re-evaluate all the "extras" or classroom schedules to come up with more class time to be used for reading because you only have so much time and we need to make the most of it.