Things I Can Fix/ Things I Can't Fix

I was inpired by Jim McGuire on his The Reading Workshop blog post entitled What Can Be Fixed. A good blog post like this gets you thinking before you even finish reading the whole post. He recalls someone saying, "If it can't be fixed in five minutes, with what's on hand, then don't mention it." Then he challenges us to think about what we can control about our jobs, selves, and students and what we can't.

Here is a five minute song to help you think about things you can fix in a short period of time.

Here is my quick list:

Things I Can Fix in 5 Minutes

1)my messy desk
2)putting a smile on my face
3)I can say encouraging words to someone who needs them
4)mistakes in my writing by reading it outloud as I edit
5)the grand "rush" through the curriculum by slowing things down so students have time to think and process what is being taught
6)allowing more time for students to share
7)cutting down on things that clutter
9)greeting each student every morning
10)taking time to go over a problem when a student doesn't get it

Things I Can't Fix

1)a student's home situation
2)the economy
3)getting older
4)my bad jokes
5)traffic on the way to school
6)the amount of television watched, video games played, or types of movies that parents allow
7)the language a family uses or allows at home
8)the current emphasis on testing in the schools
9)lack of modern and up to date technology in my classroom
10)teacher pay

I have to think more about this. It could be used as an interesting lesson in my class.

UPDATE: Here are some of the ideas generated by my students. Some were serious. Some were humorous.