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During presentations to teachers, a comment I often hear is, "These are wonderful ideas, but how do you find time to do them? I can't even get through the units I'm required to teach, let alone introduce anything else!"

It's a valid question. My first answer is that I don't do everything in any single year. In this section, I'll share tested ideas for getting time under better control so you are freed to realize your potential as a teacher and bring out the best in your students.

In all the years I taught, I don't remember ever being told to teach less of anything; there was always more. Reading specialists tell me to have students read more. It's the cornerstone of literacy. Science specialists say I should involve students in more hands-on science to prepare them for our technological world. Geography specialists want me to spend more time on geography, to prepare children to live in a global community. It goes on and on. Yet nothing is ever taken out to make room in the day for all of this.

I finally had to admit I couldn't do it all. I was setting myself and my students up for certain failure by attempting to "cover" too much. Something had to give. In this section are some ways I came to terms with the problem.

Too many units to teach?
Can't get through the texts?
Feel pressure to keep up with someone else?
No time to preview films?

Supply Solutions
Bulletin Board Solutions
Organize by Number
Solutions for Late Work
Solutions for Testing and Grading

Teach Kids to Line Up Quickly
Silent Signals
Hall Passes
Hanging Art and Displays
Color-Code Papers
Practice without Penalty
Minimizing Disruptions

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