“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are,” advised President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt. These words of solace often comfort me when I stress myself out trying to cram too much material into lessons.
How can I cover everything that I want in a single semester? It’s just impossible. For every new activity, I must let an old one go. If I add a Youtube homework assignment, than I should eliminate another homework assignment to maintain the balance. For instance, I asked every student to find and review a YouTube video on interview skills so I had to cut the assignment where students found and summarize an article on job hunting skills.
By the way, the international graduate English students found and reviewed a wonderful collection of smart, informative, current, and funny videos. Then I combined into a single email for the entire class with one of my own selections. On their own time and initiative, students watched many of the videos leading to the best mock job interviews that I’ve seen at the intermediate speaking skill level yet. Again, a democratic classroom atmosphere often creates a far more interesting and effective classroom.
As I continue to plan, adjust, and readjust assignments, I once again find solace in these words. Yet these continual curriculum revisions remain voluntary tasks in pursuit of excellence. “A problem,” noted Duke Ellington, “is a chance for you to do your best.”
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