Pacing vs. Racing

Here we are, out of the gate again, bumping into one another as we try to find a clear stretch down the track. And I want to pull up, as I watch the other horses blend into a mass of furious energy, and ask, "Why are we in a race?"

The students continually clue us in to how pacing affects their learning. Yes, they want something energized and going somewhere. They want to learn what we have to offer them. But they frequently tell us in all kinds of ways, "Slow down, so we can understand."

Likewise, we as teachers (and I'm as guilty of this as anyone) dive right into the semester (to switch metaphors here) and swim like we're drowning. Got to get to the shore. Got to cover that material. Got to deliver.

We do have a lot to address this year: new curricula, an accreditation review, new programs for integrating character education in our community. Let us not forget the importance of pacing, of slowing down and getting it right, of creating a healthy learning environment for our students. But I hope that we can all hold up and remember that it's not really a race to get everything in by the end of the year or a desperate swim for solid ground where we can come up for air.