What Would You Do With an Extra 15 Minutes of Free Time During the School Day?

When I stumbled upon a thought-provoking post on Facebook by the National Education Association, NEA, asking, "If you got an extra 15 minutes of paid protected time each day, how would you use it?" As a teacher, my immediate response was a mix of humor and reality. Imagining that precious extra quarter-hour, I envisioned myself swiftly escaping to the sanctuary of unrushed time in the restroom. Followed by quietly closing my classroom door and just enjoying serene stillness amidst the bustling school day. In those stolen moments, I'd tidy up my classroom, sit quietly, or even begin planning. No matter which one I choose, I would appreciate the preciousness of those extra minutes carved out just for me in the whirlwind of teaching life.

Numerous educators shared their thoughts, and their responses, in many cases, were similar to my own. Here are some of their heartfelt and creative responses that shed light on how those extra 15 minutes of protected time would be put to good use.

• Planning and preparing so I won't have to do it at home

• Clean my room because it rarely gets cleaned (limited custodial staff)

• Planning

• Debrief over shared students

• Use the bathroom, make copies, and take a breath

• Make coffee, use the restroom, eat a snack, take a breath, and write a note to a student who may need it. 

• Grade, call parents, document the lesson plan, and go to the restroom

• Probably plan lessons, spice up, create a library display, or walk outside

• Grade

• Protective Collaboration Time

• Doing the endless work

• Clean my room or prep

• Go to the restroom and refill my water

With a chorus of educators echoing the same sentiment, it becomes abundantly clear that there is a genuine need to reconsider and reconfigure the allocation of time, even if it's a precious 15 minutes. Empowering educators with the opportunity to tend to their well-being and recharge can be a vital step in combating teacher burnout. It's a small adjustment with the potential for monumental impact, demonstrating that when we invest in the well-being of our educators, we're ultimately investing in the future of our education system.