All At Once

I experienced something today that made me wonder if that wasn't how our students feel sometimes...overwhelmed, like there was too much to be fixed to become successful.

My van, which I talked about in a previous post, gave me more problems last night into this morning.  It wouldn't start when I got ready to head home yesterday.  Had to have it jumped by family.  No, I didn't leave the lights on or anything like that, I checked.  But when I arrived home last night, I put it on the electric battery charger that we own.  Let it charge all night, green light this morning, but when I cranked it up, nothing but clicks.  So frustrating.  Then, I got to drive our most reliable, yet oldest (20 years old) truck cramming me and two of my daughters in with me, listening to them complain the whole time about not having enough room, having to deal with no radio, with me putting their backpacks in the bed of the truck, and on and on.  Then, my oldest (a junior in HS), telling me about the fees she needs for Senior Year, and how they are due before end of May, knowing that we just shelled out a pretty penny for her letter jacket last week, and knowing that I would have to replace a van battery at some point, and knowing that my oil change light keeps coming on, with an empty gas tank, and needing an inspection and registration update on my van.  And when I finally made it to school, late of course, I had left myself a big pile of copying to do, paperwork to file, and a long to do list.  It was all at once, overwhelming.  And it got me thinking about our students, and talking to myself-no I'm not crazy, but I do believe that what we deal with is 90% in our head and 10% reality.  So, I'm telling myself, "Breathe, Windham, Breathe!" and "It's not the end of the world."

And what I thought about our students, was, I wonder if they ever feel this way?  Do we, as teachers, give them all their things that they need to work on, skills they struggle with, hurdles they need to learn to deal with behaviorally, all at once?  Or do we help them identify the one to two critical things to focus on, improve upon, and show them how to get better before moving on?  I know I've been guilty of laying it all out for them.  Wanting to be honest with them and put all the "cards on the table" so to speak.  But is this really the best way?  I'm not proposing lying or hiding things from our students, but do we help them focus on only a couple of areas at a time, and rank it for them so they know what is the most critical?  You see, knowing I need an oil change, inspection, registration, and new battery, upon all the other Senior Daughter fees, I had to prioritize and pay, albeit begrudgingly, the $165 for a new battery for my van, but it was critical.  Do we help our students learn to prioritize and focus or do we overwhelm them with too much all at once?

Just some perspective for me.  Thought I would share.