Timing is everything in everything.....

Wine and cheese have to age. There are peaches that exist in this world that must be eaten only during a few short weeks (if Seinfeld's Kramer is to be believed). Comedians are only funny if their timing is spot on. Timing matters. What does any of this have to do with my quest to create the perfect binder of lesson plans??? Everything. I have created a strong second day of class lesson. The problem is that I was trying for a strong first day of class lesson, but as with everything in life, timing is everything. Will it go in the binder that is to be the end result of this blog? Yes, I think it will. Will it be the beginning activity? No....
The first day of school is different than all other days. You must introduce yourself and your procedures. The students must learn how the world works within the four walls of your classroom. This takes time. Teachers must guage the students - are they boisterous? timid? hardworking? overly concerned with details? Then, and only then, can teachers move forward into the activities that are housed in the coveted binders. When I had completed these housekeeping measures today, I began the station activities that were the opening activity of the planned lesson. I had time to finish just that portion of the lesson. There was no follow up discussion, no body map, no wrap up.... My timing was off and my lesson fell short. I will, of course, need to do the rest of the lesson but that is almost like serving dessert the day after. What's the point? Is it the finishing touch to a well crafted meal? Nah, it's just dessert... It might be sweet, but that's all it is.
However, I am creating a binder - a binder than houses the perfect lessons for US History- and I will not be deterred by timing issues. I can fix this, really I can and I can do it this year! My school teaches on a A/B block schedule, that means I have my classes every other day. Tomorrow, I have an entirely different set of students and tomorrow, when I again have a first day opportunity, my timing will be better. I am NOT going to do the lesson I did today at all; instead, I will do introductions, procedures, and some background history of why the three major countries colonized in the first place. It's a little less ambitious. It's not as cool. It is, however, better timed.... and timing is everything.