The "I'm Done!" Conundrum

From the desk of Leigh Ann . . .

Has this ever happened to you?  Your class is in the zone. Everyone is settled, engaged, and working in their literacy stations. You are making headway with a guided reading group, and you hear those two dreaded words that are like fingernails on the chalkboard – “I’M DONE!”  The natural rhythm comes to a halt. Others quickly strive to join the “I’m done!” club, and your precious block of concentrated teaching time evaporates into thin air.  So how do we defeat the dreaded “I’m done!” conundrum?

In the words of educator Lucy Calkins, “When you think you’re done, you’ve just begun.”  Here are a few ideas to keep the learning going:

Establish expectations – Make sure learners know the next steps after a task is complete. Remember to check for NDQ – Name, Date, and Quality work before proceeding to the next learning opportunity. Turn work in as directed and remember that no one has the right to interrupt another friend’s learning time.

Create a Brain Building Station  – Use a board, book, bin, box or bucket that contains challenges for those who finish early and fill it with interesting independent tasks.  Here are a few activities that might inspire some creative discovery for the “I’m done!” crew.

Take five minutes and brainstorm some activities that your students enjoy. Add them to the list. Work with a team on your grade level and see how many ideas you can develop and share.  The ideas are limitless and putting them into place will provide early finishers with quality activities, allow others to work at their own pace, and enable you to keep teaching.

Teach on, my friends!