Getting to X

In my dim past when I was a classroom teacher, I would sometimes have to fill students’ time with activities that were not actually part of the curriculum. Sometimes I’d give them a page with mazes of varying complexity. Sometimes I’d give them a piece of paper with ~5 words written in stippled cursive and ask them to trace each word with multiple colored pencils.

Those of you who have taught probably understand the need to invent (ahem) “busy work” on the fly. You know…” idle hands are the Devil’s play ground.” So let’s get them engaged in something at least on the borders of educationally beneficial.