As an 8th-grade ESE Inclusion and Intensive Math teacher at North Naples Middle School, I work with students who often enter the classroom believing that struggling with math means they simply need more time. For some students with attention and executive-function challenges, however, an unlimited or undefined amount of working time can feel overwhelming and endless.
My goal is to give students something even more powerful: ownership of their time.
With this grant, I would purchase 25 individual large-display digital timers so that every student can learn to manage work periods, breaks, focus, and stamina in a way that works for them.
Instead of constantly hearing, “You have more time,” students will learn to ask themselves:
How much can I accomplish in the next 10 minutes?
When do I need a short break?
Can I stay focused a little longer than I did yesterday?
What strategy helps me do my best work?
The timers provide an immediate, visual tool that puts students in control. Students can set a manageable work interval, begin a task, pause when appropriate, take a purposeful break, and then reset the timer when they are ready to continue.
This transforms time from something that happens to students into something they learn to manage for themselves.
Building Confidence Through Small Successes
Many students in Intensive Math have experienced years of frustration. They may already believe they are “bad at math,” work too slowly, or cannot keep up with their peers.
I want to change that mindset.
When students begin timing themselves, they can see what they are actually capable of accomplishing. A student may initially believe that completing five problems will take an entire class period. After working with a timer, that same student may discover that focused effort allows them to complete those problems in 10 or 15 minutes.
That realization creates confidence.
Over time, students can begin challenging themselves—not because a teacher is pushing them faster, but because they see their own growth and choose to improve.
A student might begin with an eight-minute focus period followed by a short break. As confidence and stamina increase, that student may independently decide to work for 10, 12, or 15 minutes before taking a break.
That is meaningful growth because it comes from within the student.
Supporting Students with ADHD and Executive-Function Needs
One of the most important lessons I have learned as an inclusion teacher is that support should not only help students complete today’s assignment; it should also help them develop strategies they can carry into high school, college, careers, and adulthood.
Students with ADHD and other executive-function needs may struggle with starting a task, estimating how long something will take, maintaining attention, or recognizing when they need a productive break.
An individual timer provides a simple and non-stigmatizing tool for practicing these skills.
Students will learn to:
* Break large assignments into manageable periods of work.
* Set personal goals for focused work time.
* Recognize when a purposeful break will help them reset.
* Track how much they can accomplish during focused intervals.
* Gradually build academic stamina.
* Develop stronger time awareness and task initiation.
* Celebrate improvement rather than compare themselves with classmates.
* Take greater responsibility for their learning.
All student IEP and 504 accommodations will continue to be honored. These timers are not intended to replace required accommodations. Instead, they provide an additional strategy that helps students develop independence and discover how to use their available time effectively.
Why Individual Timers Matter
Having 25 timers allows each student to have control of a timer rather than relying on one classroom timer projected for everyone.
That distinction is important.
Every student is different. One student may be ready for a 15-minute focus challenge while another may be successful beginning with five minutes. Some students may need a short reset before returning to a difficult problem, while others may want to challenge themselves to continue working.
The goal is not for every student to work at the same speed.
The goal is for every student to understand how they work best.
The large display makes time easy to see without interrupting work. Silent and sound options also make the timers appropriate for an inclusion classroom, where students have different sensory and attention needs.
Measuring Success
Student progress will be measured through classroom observations, completion of math tasks, student goal-setting, and individual reflection.
Students will periodically record their focus intervals and reflect on questions such as:
What was my goal?
How long was I able to stay focused?
What did I accomplish?
Did I need a break?
What will I try next time?
Success will not simply be measured by whether students work faster. Success will be demonstrated when students show increased independence, confidence, self-awareness, task completion, and academic stamina.
Long-Term Impact
The most rewarding moments in an inclusion classroom occur when students begin recognizing their own capabilities.
It is a beautiful sight to watch a student move from saying, “I can’t do this,” to saying, “Give me 10 minutes. I can get this done.”
That change is much bigger than mathematics.
I want my students to leave 8th grade understanding that needing support does not limit what they can accomplish. They can learn strategies to understand their individual needs, manage their time, advocate for themselves, and work toward challenging goals.
These 25 timers represent a relatively small investment of $500, but the skills they can help develop—confidence, independence, perseverance, self-management, and ownership—can stay with students for life.
My ultimate goal is to teach my students a message that reaches far beyond my classroom:
Your time belongs to you. Learn how you work best, believe in what you are capable of, and never allow a challenge to determine how far you can go.
Why Individual Timers Matter
Having 25 timers allows each student to have control of a timer rather than relying on one classroom timer projected for everyone.
That distinction is important.
Every student is different.
These 25 timers represent a relatively small investment of $500, but the skills they can help develop—confidence, independence, perseverance, self-management, and ownership—can stay with students for life.
500.00
25 Large Display Digital Timer/Stopwatches with Count Up/Count Down Functions
