The Power of Time

I don't know where my parents got the idea. Maybe it was a parenting fad back then. Maybe it was just common sense. Regardless, it is still an effective means of communicating family values. As my sister and I entered our teenage years, my parents used a nifty strategy called 'Time.' One key to effective parenting is finding each child's 'currency.' What does your child value? It could be something tangible like money or food. It could be intangible like words of encouragement or spending time with friends. Honestly, for me it could have been reading!

My sister was the social butterfly and her currency was leaving the house to hang with friends. The rule was if you had 'time' you couldn't go. 'Time' was typically divided into 15 minute increments and any infraction would add 'time.' The infractions were things like giving attitude, not keeping curfew, or poorly done chores. Whatever your family values and is decided ahead of time in a family meeting is fair game.

My sister and I learned early on that if you had time, don't even bother asking. In order to remove time you had to work it off by doing jobs around the house. Some jobs like sweeping the kitchen were worth 15 minutes. Other jobs like weeding the flower bed were 1/2 an hour or a full hour depending on how large the weeds. My mother was always thoughtful in leaving a list of needed jobs and their time value on the kitchen table. This put the control back in our hands. We were on 'house arrest' until we chose to work the time off.

Another beauty of 'time' is its simplicity. When the child breaks one of the agreed upon rules, all the parent needs to say is 'you've earned 15 minutes of time.' This was enough to make an impact. My parents never needed to raise their voice or get angry.

This was a win/win for my parents. 'Time' accomplished discipline, reinforcement of family values, and a clean house.

SAFFMEDS

   On the cusp of the differentiation craze, I took a class on meeting the needs of diverse students. One strategy I have used repeatedly since that time is SAFFMEDS. Let me explain.
   Say All Facts Fast for one Minute Every Day, Shuffled. Yes, they could have devised a better acronym. Despite its unusual name, it is a powerful strategy. The hallmarks of the strategy lie in its daily oral review. SAFFMEDS works best with a large volume of facts that need to become automatic. For example SAFFMEDS could be used in vocabulary acquisition, memorizing math facts, or states and capitals. Automaticity is the key. So here is how the strategy works:

1.  Compile a list of facts you want your students to memorize 
2.  Chunk the list into manageable pieces, 10 items or so 
3.  Present these facts to the class: word and definition, multiplicand and product, state and capital 
4.  Students then write the corresponding facts on opposite sides of a flash card 
5.  Set the timer for one minute
6.  With the set (of initial 10 cards) in hand, students read out loud what is on the front of the card 
7.  They then say what they think is written on the back of the card without looking at it 
8.  Students turn the card over and check their answer: If they get it right, they put it in a pile close to them; if they get it wrong, they put it in a different pile 
9.  When the timer goes off, any cards still in the students' hands is considered "Don't Know" and put in the "wrong" pile 
10.  Students should record the number of correctly identified cards and track their progress over time 

The ringer here is each week or similar unit of time, another set of ten facts is added to their stack. Even though they will ask for it, only give them the same one minute.
   When you lead your students through the strategy the next day add one step before you set the timer: shuffle the cards - put them in a different order than what you presented them or how they viewed them previously. This is where SAFFMEDS becomes automatic.
   I have successfully used this strategy in teaching Greek and Latin roots in both the Middle School and High School Levels. Subsequent teachers have commented about the difference between which students underwent this strategy with me and which students had the other teacher.
  Thinking about your curriculum, how could you use SAFFMEDS? Are there facts your students need to know to be successful in your class? Let me know how you are using SAFFMEDS.