Most people don’t know what’s happening around them because they are speeding through life.
—Tracy Morgan
Don’t Speed
I drive too fast, so I set my cruise control. Even then, I prefer to go a tad too fast. However, recently I rented a U-Haul trailer, borrowed my dad’s Silverado pickup truck, and helped move our daughter to Indiana from Virginia.
I had never pulled a trailer before. Dad gave me my first lesson. “Just go slow,” he said.
Andy gave me my second lesson. “Pretty much you just need to remember not to rush. Go the speed limit, and slow down if it feels too fast.”
Jordan, our speed-demon son, chuckled when he learned I was driving a U-Haul to help Hannah move. “Just don’t speed,” he said. “They’ll give you a ticket. When I rented a U-Haul and went with the flow of traffic, the police officer told me, ‘You’re big—you shouldn’t speed.’”
My friend Liz told me, “After an hour or so, you won’t even remember you’re pulling a trailer. Just don’t go too fast, and you’ll be fine.”
I took all of this advice to heart and adhered to the speed limit. I thought I would be annoyed. It turned out to be a very pleasant drive, even if it took a little longer. In the hours on the road, I reflected that the simple decision to follow the speed limit led to a more enjoyable drive.
Too often we get in a hurry and speed through our days. We make quick decisions and forget to pause and contemplate our instructional choices. Sometimes we hit the figurative cruise control and just roll through each day. When this happens, it is easy to miss the nuances of teaching readers and writers.
I’m proud of this week’s issue because our contributors write real and raw about their experiences shifting to a structured literacy curriculum. May you find inspiration to slow down and reflect on your own experience—plus more, as always.
Ruth Ayres
Editor in Chief
Vivian Chen gives four steps to adjusting a lesson from the teacher’s guide to reclaim your time and make the lesson more meaningful and engaging for students.
Eric A. Walters and Don Buckley share learning experiences that guide high school students to become comfortable with uncertainty and risk-taking.
Are you looking to connect with other instructional influencers? Join Coach-to-Coach—a free monthly gathering for instructional coaches. You’ll receive an inspirational article from our Leaders Lounge and a Zoom link to learn and collaborate with others. Coach-to-Coach is led by Ruth Ayres. Our next gathering is Wednesday, March 11, at noon (EST).
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Mandy Robek offers encouragement and tips for teachers who are navigating a highly structured literacy curriculum.
Hannah Tills offers a much-needed metaphor for all teachers who are implementing a new curriculum resource. Rather than thinking of the new expectations as part of a pendulum, Hannah encourages us to think of walking a tightrope. She offers ways to stay rooted in student engagement, student access, student choice, and teacher autonomy while also meeting expectations of a newly adopted curriculum program.
Choice Numeracy | Powerful images, diagrams, and visuals can spark curiosity and encourage students to make connections they may not make otherwise. Mallory Messenger shares three number visuals and gives practical applications for any math classroom. Don’t miss her list of resources.
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Suzy Kaback thoughtfully reflects on how to introduce teacher candidates to high-quality instructional materials. In this first article in a series, she shares the initial steps of digging into a structured literacy curriculum.
Nathan Levenson and David James share five practices to energize students and help them fill in the gaps.
Quote It:
There is more to life than increasing its speed.
—Mahatma Gandhi
That’s all for this week!
