And time goes by so slowly....

And I'm not thinking about that dodgy Robson and Gerome version either!

At SAGT and over the past few years I have been asked one question above any other: where do you find the time? When I consider where I was 10 years ago and then think about what I've managed to do - time does go slowly. Time has taken on a totally different meaning since becoming a new dad.

This post is an attempt to share with readers where I find the time. First a story:

Here I am at the end of what would be considered a 'minor epic' in Scottish mountaineering circles. It was very dark. The air temperature was around -10 degrees. The ground was sheet ice caused by lots of rain saturating the ground and then a sudden drop in temperature. It was just a tad scary.

The place was Ben Nevis. The photo below was taken very close to the summit. I have been up 'The Ben' many times using a variety of routes. 9 times out of 10 there has been no view. We stopped and took in what we saw. We took photos as the sun started to go down around 3pm. It's not good being 1300m up a mountain when it's getting dark and the car is not at the bottom of the tourist track but quite a way away. However, conditions like this are rare so we took the opportunity.

When it got dark we stopped. And ate. We pondered. We considered the options.

What has all of this got to do with time and education? Well,

1. This was a learning experience. This story demonstrates that learning never stops. Therefore we shouldn't discount experiences that happen to our young people outside of the classroom. So I use my experiences outside of the classroom and the experiences of pupils in lessons - this saves a lot of false thinking time: time sat at a desk planning.

2. I used this experience in a geography lesson that linked tourism, weather, seasons and high places. As I was negotiating a dark Scottish mountain in December, I was thinking how I could use the experience in the classroom and with young people. How do I find the time? Ideas always come along. Usually not during the school week. Should I discount these ideas because I was on holiday? We should be using our personal experiences in learning all of the time.

3. I'm reading a lot more books this year. My other half call them 'cult' books. They are about leadership. Doug Belshaw's blog led me to Seth Godin's Tribes. Toward the end of the book he is reflecting on the reason for his happiness at checking work emails during a holiday in the sun. He concludes that it is because he is engaged, satisfied and eager to get to work. There was nothing else he'd rather be doing as his work was rewarding. I love teaching. There isn't a day where I feel I don;t want to go in to work. Although I prioitise with family, friends and the outdoors, I don;t mind spending time now and again engaged with learning. Those that know me well understand that my attention span is all of 2 minutes. New technologies allow me to access other people thinking where and when I want. My mind never stops going. Where do I find the time - my ideas are going around in my head all of the time. I may make a note here and there, but when the idea has formed all I need to do is sit down and pull something together. Work thoughts aren't confined to work. The time we stopped and ate allowed us to see the bigger picture. We all need the time to reflect at some point. Even time to receive criticism. Otherwise, how do we know we're any good?

4. Twitter, SLN, Facebook, blogs etc etc etc. May seem like sad, geeky things to be in to. But I don't have a clue (or any interest) in how these things work. All I know is that they are an effective way of accessing ideas, resources, thoughts, opinions...... I don't consider myself to be a particularly innovative person or to someone who says particularly original things, but what I can do well (I think...) is spot great ideas and adapt / use them. Rather than social technology taking up more time, it actually saves me time. How do I find the time? I collaborate, share, quote, acknowledge and use the work of others. No one can change learning on their own. Above all, I find the time because I'm in the right job - I love what I do and I am inspired by the people I am connected to. So, go out and connect. You'll free up a huge amount of time.

5. I love cheesy sayings, someone once said to me that I needed to think smart. I now commute by train as it frees up 90 minutes of time to plan - I can travel and prepare. I prioritise with what I need to to by a) considering what is most important to my family and b) considering what is most important to my learners. I used my flight to and from SAGT to read a whole book, and the time on my own in Edinburgh to wander the streets to explore. I combine walking my son around to allow him some sleep with lesson planning and urban exploration. Technology allows me to capture my thoughts, ideas and plans - saving me time. Especially the time it takes me to find scraps of paper. One of the reasons I started this blog was so I could find the ideas and resources I thought were useful.

Anyhow, I've probably rambled on enough, time to get back to Ray Mears. I think I'll be using what I'm watching now in a class tomorrow.

PS - This post was brought to you by many recycled ideas ;-)