Jinger Willard Blog Post 4 (Nov.): Routman Chapter 4: Teach with a Sense of Urgency

In this chapter, Routman stressed the need to use every moment for meaningful and relevant instruction.  Routman further went on to discuss the need for explicit and intentional demonstration teaching. This reinforced, for me, the importance of deliberate and careful planning.  This includes planning for teacher demonstration and shared demonstration that is authentic for students.  Often times, teacher demonstration and modeling are rushed because we feel the need to get students “actively engaged” in their learning.  However, when we rush through the modeling, this does not allow students to gain the competence and confidence needed to be actively engaged with minimal teacher assistance.  The importance of modeling and demonstration often gets overlooked in our rush to get the students working independently. 

The last part of this chapter spoke of raising expectations.  Students will only rise to the level of expectations to which they are held. When we set students up for success, they will succeed.  When we don’t expect students to achieve based on their socio-economic status or background, they will not achieve. By setting students up for success through explicit instruction, teacher demonstration and shared demonstration, we can prepare all levels of learners from all different backgrounds to achieve. 

This chapter made me re-examine some of my own habits and practices.  When I reflect on lessons that did not go as I had expected, it most often boils down to my own planning and lack of modeling, and not the ability of my students.  I am reminded to hold all of my students to high expectations and to be sure I am planning with a “sense of urgency” so that I can teach that way as well.