Laurie Smith Blog Post #3 Routman Chp. 4 Teach With a Sense of Urgency

I found this chapter very helpful to me. We, as teachers are told to have high expectations and that our teaching should always be with meaning.  Schedules are an important part of having a structured classroom, but as we all know, schedules don't always stay on track for various reasons.  As they say, life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.  It's ok when your schedule gets off track.  No need to stress, there are teachable moments everywhere.  Especially for my students who have developmental delays and other disabilities they are dealing with.  There is always something to be learned, whether it is written on our lesson plan or participating in a surprise fire drill that interrupts our day.  Sometimes we get so focused on what our lesson plans tell us to say, that  we miss a very good teachable moment. Routman states that " When teachers understand and internalize the Optimal Learning Model, teaching and learning become more effective, efficient, and enjoyable.  They begin to base instruction on what kids need rather than on the components of a literacy program.  With expert assistance and encouragement learners gradually move from dependence to independence."