Taking Time to Remember the Important Stuff

Now-a-days there is a specialist for everything in a school. As a "regular" education teacher some days I wonder how will I ever get through the curriculum I am supposed to when there are so many interruptions. Between students being pulled out of the class, a specialist coming into the class, going to chorus, band, or strings during the school day, there isn't much time left for students to learn new concepts.

As I meticulously do my planning for the week, I think about how I can keep the students engaged and inspired to learn. More importantly, I try to think about how I can inspire them to make good choices, treat themselves and those around them with respect, how to motivate them to be an active learner and to take responsibility for their learning.

During the school day, I try to take time to remember the important stuff. Like encouraging the students to reflect on their beliefs, their learning, their actions, their thoughts, their choices and the world around them.

At the end of my school days, I like to reflect on what I did to remember the "important stuff." As I try to start my day off during our "moment of silence," I remind my self of what kind of teacher I want to be that day, what kind of person I want to be and who I want to be for and to my students.

Even though there are so many interruptions throughout our school day, I believe that if I remember the "important stuff" it will not matter how much time I have spent with my students. It will be how I spent my time with my students that is important in the end.