Joan Moser
August 5, 2011
Gail recently went on a long overdue and well-deserved family vacation. That meant that Lori and I would carry the weight of the workload. For those of you who don't know, Lori Sabo has been a friend and colleague for about 15 years, a part-time employee for six years, and has recently been promoted to our senior editor and full-time partner.
She would drive over to my house each day, grabbing Starbucks for us along the way, and we'd buckle down after a brief and exuberant personal chat. It was after a particularly productive day that we realized how essential the initial interaction time was. Once we'd connected on a personal level, our professional time was intensely focused.
What might be the implications in our classrooms? When I posed the question, Lori immediately felt guilty about the years when her students were expected to come in quietly and complete a worksheet that was waiting on their desks. Now when they enter, they have a chance to visit with her and each other. She said, "I noticed that if they have something to say, it percolates and bubbles and impairs their ability to focus completely. So...we might as well take the first five minutes of the day to notice new haircuts, new shoes, lost teeth, give hugs or comfort, etc."
In my room, students get to come in before the bell rings, shop for books, chat and catch up. Even my littlest learners are ready to get started when the bell rings.
So, as a new year begins, how will you provide time to meet and greet amongst your community of learners? Might you find, as we have, that building in time to connect on a personal level will result in work time that can be intensely focused and productive?