Time, Time, Time...

Time, time, time. Will there ever be enough? As I reflect on my first week at my dyad placement, I am astonished at how fast the day flies by. It seems that right after the students walk through the door, get unpacked and start on their early work, it’s already lunch-time, and then before I know it, it’s time for them to go home and another day has flown by. How can we fit everything into each school-day that we’d like to and that we need to? I experienced the reality of this dilemma when my cooperating teacher, in response to her students needs, tried to squeeze in a short lesson on bullying. Just as she and her students were reaching the heart of the issue that had arisen in the class, the bell rang and it was time for the students to go home. I spoke with her afterward and she said she would try to figure out another time within the next week or so that she could return to the topic with the children and finish the lesson. I guess the most concerning and daunting thing about the situation is seeing first hand that a topic as important as bullying can not find its way into a normal school-day and instructional time. How can we ensure that we are able to cover what we feel is essential for our students?