Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Slice of Life - It's Okay to Throw Papers Out

Sitting at my kitchen island, looking at formative assessments and classwork for measurement during math workshop I get to the bottom of my "finished" box of papers and discovered two pre-assessments I did a couple of weeks ago on measurement.  I sit here and stare at them once again.  I'm not happy with the pre-assessment.  I took it from our district math resource.  I went a different path with another resource and began the unit on understanding why we use measurement tools and how to pick the right one to use.  I also started with centimeters and not the standard form of measurement.

All these thoughts ramble through  my mind and then I remember one of my wise mentors from my first year of teaching and Frank said something like this, "we all get behind.  If you haven't looked at the papers in a reasonable amount of time, then throw them away.  No one will ever know or remember, if it's been that long."  

Until you announce it while writing a Slice of Life post - I recycled those papers because plans change, needs change, and each day I try my best for that day.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering and organizing this writing challenge.

10 comments:

  1. Great point Mandy, and no one will ever know. With the immediate needs to be met, best to keep things that are important!

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  2. I'm so glad to read that other teachers find batches of papers deep in their folders and decide that recycling them is the best option. Ugh! Along with a twinge of guilt I also feel a burden float off my shoulders :-)

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  3. First of all, I laughed out loud at your line: Until you announce it in a Slice of Life post. So funny. And secondly, I just gave this same advice to a first year teacher last week! It's okay. Recycling is good for the environment. :)

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  4. Love it!! If it is not informing your instruction or lifting the level what kids are doing --don't do it! Throw proudly!! Hang in there.
    Clare and Tammy

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  5. I am quite the fan of the circular filing system. Besides, you did look at them, it did inform your instruction. It helped you travel down a different road. All is good.

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  6. I've taught 19 years - this is the first year I've allowed myself to recycle old piles of papers. I agree completely with JenniferW - first feeling guilty, then completely free. Thanks for this post...

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  7. I just had to read your post when I came across the title. Yes, it is Okay to let go of things that don't matter. We all need to embrace this for ourselves and our students. :-)

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  8. Absolutely great advice! You learned what you needed to from those. If I'm honest before I throw them away I keep them at home for a week or two....just in case some one asks. Smiling with this Slice of Life :)

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  9. Thank you for permission to recycle! I am having a hard time tossing or returning papers this year. Your slice reassures me.

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  10. I am with you on this. A bit of waiting and some papers are ready to be recycled.

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