How do you keep early finishers from treating free minutes as free passes?

This week’s episode of Edutopia’s School of Practice podcast looks at that familiar moment when a student wraps up early, leans back, and mentally checks out while the rest of the room is still working. The episode draws on ideas from my article “Your Student Finished Early—Now What?”, where I suggest that a few clear routines can turn those loose minutes into genuine learning. I also talk through ways to set expectations, offer choices, and build simple routines to manage the process. 

Additional Questions/Feedback 

• What's one option your students consistently enjoy and one that flopped? 

• What tip would you give a new teacher who’s building their early finisher routine for the first time?

• What’s your method for keeping materials, folders, or digital choices stocked and organized so the process is easy to manage?

Please include your grade level and subject so others can picture how your ideas translate across settings. By the way, you can listen and subscribe to School of Practice on Apple and Spotify.