ELED 508

Week 8
Jeanie Miller
3/16/19

1. What does Ms. Saul consider when planning her day?

Ms. Saul deliberately plans each minute of the day to ensure that no time is wasted. She considers
transitions, flow, break times and so forth. She builds in routines, movement, group work, individual
work, brain breaks, and singing.

2. How does Ms. Saul create a math period that is both varied and routine?

She uses the same songs frequently and opens each day with the same song to get the kids ready to
learn. She notes that singing helps her remember facts, so she builds them in to her instruction so that
the kids experience similar success. She has fast fact challenges daily, and if the kids finish, she grades
them, but if not, they can erase and try again the next day. She incorporates group work and
independent work. She uses “find three ways” activities, to really stretch the kids’ thinking and get them
participating in class.

3. What strategies does Ms. Saul use to maximize instructional time?

Because she has so much to cover each day, she plans her schedule down to the minute. She uses a
digital timer frequently, to keep the students on track and manage her time. However, she also
acknowledges that the students can’t keep still for more than 20 minutes without a movement or brain
break. By building these into her routine, she saves time that might otherwise be wasted on trying to
manage a classroom of tired, bored, or hyperactive children.

4. Identify at least one strategy or idea that you plan to use THIS week!

I use my timer several times a week already. I teach 6th and 7th grade, so they are only in my class for 50
minutes. However, they still need to get up and take brain breaks or movement breaks. I find that the
bathroom breaks increase exponentially on days where I have them doing paper worksheets or I’m
lecturing. Thus, this week I’m going to incorporate a movement break halfway through my class to test
its efficacy.