How do you keep momentum going into May?

hey pay attention

 

May in a boarding school is about as long as three minutes. There are activities, exams, trips, special functions, report cards, special one-day projects and drama and of course, a few days of classes between each of these things. Today, I gave an assignment and I want to spend the next class having the kids peer mark their assignments and this got me thinking about how my HMW question will fit into the 6 (!!eek!) classes I will have with my kids before exam reviews start since they are pulled in a bazillion directions for all kinds of really neat opportunities and experiences. I don’t want them to not take part in these special activities, but I am also aware of how little class time is left and how long peer evaluations take.

And this is the point I want to get to…when did me talking *to* the kids to cover that one last thing before exams become more important than letting the kids *do* the thing they need to learn skills that are completely necessary and super transferable between subjects and grade levels.

Really, who doesn’t need more time and space to practice becoming aware of their own shortcomings when completing assignments, and have the time and space they need to implement edits.  I have come to accept that understanding one more thing about tectonic plates probably won’t have that lasting impact I think it should have, but I do know that having the skills they need to think critically about their own work is going to have that impact.

This brings me to my HMW question and the fact that I need to write this blog to remind myself to be purposeful in allowing students the time they need to create, edit, reflect and implement. I need to be intentional in creating space in my last few lessons for students to continue on their learning journey.

How are you using those last few precious moments of class time?