breakout space

So, I'm writing this while students are completing one of three, very different tasks: writing their papers, getting help with their writing from a tutor, and reviewing/editing each others' work. And, remarkably, even though my sophomores are technically in three different spaces in the school, I don't have anything to do. The ones who are writing are behind enough with their work that they really need the work time; the ones getting help the need help, and the ones reviewing are doing so quietly, effectively, productively. This is what teaching should be: flexible and feasible. Students who finish in the lab can join the peer review; students who no longer need help can go to the computer lab to write. Students who don't know what to do with an aspect of their peers' writing can ask me. So I get to feel useful, without feeling overwhelmed. :-) This happens so rarely anyway; it's particularly impressive so close to winter vacation.

Of course one of the reasons I can structure class this way is that there's some accountability built in. And, I've been walking between my classroom, the computer lab, and the writing center. It's not a long walk (though this morning it sort of feels like it) but I definitely wish I had ten computers in the back of the room. Or an adjoining space where a peer tutor could help kids who need it. Since I don't, I'm breaking school rules by leaving kids unattended (at least few a few minutes at a time).*

*Addendum: I did, in fact, get caught breaking this rule, by another teacher in the department. She was within her rights to enforce it, but the rule needs changing. One continuing frustration is that the school's infrastructure lacks the flexibility good teaching (and what we're calling 'differentiated instruction) requires. We don't trust students enough to give them freer access to the computer lab, and, as a result, the lab is often unoccupied (leaving kids who have no computer access at home stranded). Which makes me think of Parker Palmer's thoughts on trust in a community: you can have the best teachers working in a school, but a school community where people in the building don't trust each other will only enjoy limited success.