Time

There is a phrase that I am done with. It is right up there with "we have always done it that way." It is often a cop out. It is overused and misused. Sometimes it is a straight-up lie. The phrase that I hold in such disdain is....I just don't have time.

In our busy and modern lives time is precious. I understand there are acceptable uses of this term I hold in contempt. I have used IDHT (I don't have time) on countless occasions. It made me feel better. It helped me save face when I didn't have a good excuse for not trying something new or different. I have used IDHT when I really meant things like:
Trying out that new idea is not a priority for me.
That is a risk that I am not ready to take.
I have no clue what that is or how to do it.
That is way outside of my comfort zone.
I am too afraid to fail.
I wanted to try that new idea but I got distracted.
I don't think it is a good idea.

Using IDHT is a poor excuse. I strive to not use it anymore. Educators need to be bold and take on challenges. We cannot keep offering students the current version of school. It is time to innovate. Try new things. We owe it to our students to push ourselves. Be genuine. If you think something is a bad idea, be truthful and say, "that is a bad idea." Don't use lack of time as an excuse not to challenge yourself to become better for students. Our time is precious and it is up to us to make the best of it. Repeating lessons, activities, and strategies that are ineffective, but comfortable, are the ultimate waste of time. Taking opportunities to be bold and inventive maximize our time. Make time for things that are important. Make student learning your top priority and don't be afraid to try new things.