Flexibility: Plans? More Like Guidelines, Methinks! -- Amelia

Ah, yes—that stunning word we’ve heard since day one of our teacher preparation classes: flexibility, flexibility, flexibility! The extreme necessity for flexibility was my first rude awakening in the realm of teaching. Now I know why all the other teachers sweetly smile with shaking heads at my neatly organized and dated lesson plans nestled in their shiny page protectors. My poor naïve lesson plans, gleaming with expectation, structure, and punctuality.

While I was quite aware of the need for flexibility, the term was much more surreal and distant, like a tropical island—until now. You’ve heard that Jamaica has beautiful beaches, green luscious landscapes, and warm weather, all of which you can picture in your mind’s eye. However, you can’t quite fathom its impact until you experience it for yourself.

It all began with the rescheduling of Benchmark testing, which ended up being a month ahead of schedule. So I planned accordingly. Then came the rescheduling of the SOL practice Writing test. First, it was March 4th. I planned accordingly. Then it was March 11th. I planned accordingly. Then it was March 18th. I planned accordingly. Then it was back to March 11th. Yep, you guessed it. I planned accordingly. Then back to March 18th. Yes, it was finally given on March 11th.

I must admit: I’m a sucker for schedules. I plan and prefer that things go according to plan (at least the big things). So in the beginning of all this, I was having quite the panic attack. Somehow, I managed to rearrange my brain. I realized that I was viewing lesson planning as some sort of code of rules. Once planned, lessons are immutable procedures that have been set in stone, probably because I invested so much time in them. Then I heard a voice echoing in my head… It was Captain Barbossa. He was saying, “The code is more what you'd call ‘guidelines’ than actual rules. Arrrrrg. Matey!” Okay, I added that last part.

But I realized that I have to view my schedule and lesson plans as mutable, flexible guidelines. Perhaps teachers are more like pirates than you might think at first glance. (Not the pillaging and plundering aspect, of course.) As teacher, we must ride the waves, or go with the flow, or whatever cliché works for you. Just like pirates, there is a greater force guiding our sails. We can either work against that force or work with it. Personally, I’ve learned that working with it is much more sane.