Don’t squish out the “glue”


I enjoy HGTV, especially programs like Holmes on Homes with Canada’s Mike Holmes who repairs mistakes made by inept contractors. On a recent episode, a homeowner’s basement was a mess in part due to a below grade entrance and its poorly constructed concrete block wall. As the new concrete block wall was being built, Mike’s sub-contractor explained the importance of timing when building with the heavy blocks.

Because the “glue” used with concrete blocks is cement, timing is important as you build the wall. If you build too quickly, the heavy weight of the blocks will squish out the “glue” making the wall little more than an unsafe stack of heavy concrete. The sub-contractor explained a wall more than four rows high must be allowed to cure for a time before proceeding to the next row.

In other words, the wall itself can be its own worst enemy if the timing isn’t right.

As educators, our curriculum will always be more than the four rows high. Let’s face it, sometimes the day’s lesson seems to be more than four rows high.

How do we allow time for the “glue” to cure? How can we stop from being our own worst enemies in the classroom? How can we develop a rich, rigorous, relevant curriculum that reflects proper timing and doesn’t squish out the “glue”?



About barbarawmadden

I began teaching in 1981, but after a few years decided staying home with my children was what was best for my family. After almost 20 years raising four children, I returned to the classroom in 2005.

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