A common complaint that I hear from nearly every school I begin to work with revolves around the lack of time. “We have too much to teach and not enough time to teach it in.”
I agree; we do not have enough time.
Which is why each day, each hour, and each minute are critical. There is only one, 27th day of instruction. Once we waste it, we can not get it back. Yet, without fail, the same campus that is most vocal about the lack of time, is the one that wastes the most of it.
How can we complain about time, when we don’t start teaching at full speed on Day 1?
How can we complain about time, when we schedule pep rallies during the instructional day?
How can we complain about time, when we schedule field trips and holiday parties?
How can we complain about time, when we look the other way when Friday becomes “Free Day”?
How can we complain about time, when we know the month of May will be an instructional wasteland?
How can we complain about time, when we give multiple college preparation tests where not one person on the campus analyzes the results and then uses the findings to adjust instruction? After the PSAT, SAT and ACT, we have to ask ourselves are we truly measuring anything or simply taking “feel good” instructional vacations?
It makes it hard to advocate for the profession when we regularly squander the most precious resource we have at our disposal – Time.
Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…