Concentrated Academic Time

For twenty-five minutes every day we have Concentrated Academic Time (CAT).  This concept is one of the most baffling I have come across in education.  First of all, the name implies that during this brief period of time, we are concentrating on academics.  What is it, then, that we do for the remaining seven hours and thirty-five minutes of the school day?

Secondly, the only option during CAT is to read a book.  Therefore, I conclude that whoever created this rule believes the only way to concentrate academically is to read.  If students ask me if they can work on homework, I must say, "No, please read a book."  If the only way to concentrate academically is to read, would students not be better off alone in their own bedrooms, without other people to elbow them in the ribs when the teacher is not looking?  I mean, really, if we must concentrate academically only by reading, why come to school at all?  I know I, as a youth, would have loved nothing better than to stay at home and read a book all day.

Finally, because it is impossible to actually force anyone to read, my job as a teacher during this time is to enforce silence and ensure that every student has a book open in front of them.  Some of my students enjoy reading and thus are happy when CAT rolls around.  It gives them a welcome break during the day.  I myself fall into this category; most of the time my students are quiet and I actually look forward to this chance to sit and read.  However, many of my students do not like reading.  Some of these (high school) students choose one of the numerous books with pictures I keep in my classroom so they have something better than the wall at which to stare.  Some open a book and daydream, or try to annoy their friends without getting caught.  Some fall asleep.  The lack of both concentration and academics during CAT for at least half of my students each day leads me to begin this time with the tongue in cheek, "Everyone grab a book and pretend to read."

If a student who is reading, say, my picture book on sharks, exclaims loudly, "Did you know sharks have seven rows of teeth," I am supposed to chastise him for breaking the silence.  If another student says, "No way, let me see," and grabs the book, and then another chimes in with a fact she already knows about sharks, my classroom is now considered to be in chaos.  I have failed at classroom management, and if my principal were to walk by, I may also be publicly chastised for failure to comply with CAT policy.

At other schools I have experienced periods of similar ineffectiveness, such as SSR, which stands for Sustained Silent Reading.  When I had to supervise SSR at SCS, my students could not handle staying silent for thirty minutes, and I had to patrol the classroom making shushing noises and confiscating potential projectiles.  In my mind I renamed this time SSA, Sustained Silent Agony.  I once observed a school that called their version of this DEAR, Drop Everything And Read.  It seemed to me that they should rename it DEATAN, Drop Everything And Take A Nap.

As for CAT, I think I'll go with its antonym, WAT.  "Sit down and pretend to read, please.  It's time for Wasted Academic Time."