I am purposely going to make this year a little easier on
myself than I have in the last couple. I am teaching the same grade level, and
the only thing I am adding to math, reading/ELA, and social studies is science.
I’ll be self-contained, and that in itself will be a challenge, but I realized
today that I always need some goals to shoot for, so this is what I’ve come up
with so far.
1.
Get really
organized. This is not my strong suit. I still have tons of papers in my
subject file cabinets that I just threw in there throughout the years. I
finally learned to keep a folder for each week, and stick that into a six weeks
hanging file, but that was at least six weeks into last year. I got a crate for
keeping examples of student work and assessments, but I think I still need to
shred last year’s stuff! I’ve decided to keep my personal information about
each student in a binder instead of a file cabinet. I think it’s easier to
access, and easier to document. I am going to revise my information form to
include a call log on the back.
2.
Document!
I find documenting to be one of the toughest things to do. Since I’ll be
focused on teaching this year, and not other projects, I am going to try to set
aside some time each week to make sure my documentation is up to date. I know I
downloaded a really well-done system off TPT at the end of last year. I think I
stuck it in my data binder. That thing needs to grow bigger for sure!
3.
Have kids
self-monitor. Every year, I become increasingly aware how important it is
for kids to monitor their own growth. This year, I’ll make sure they are monitoring
their own Study Island and Think Through Math scores. I also want them to keep
track of how much they read, and read every day.
4.
Small
groups, small groups, small groups! I know this is the key to learning and
individual growth. I just wish it weren’t so darn hard to keep kids focused on
work when they’re not under your nose. I am going to very carefully choose the
station work they’ll be doing when not with me, and ensure they document their
work/scores at each one.
5.
Never talk
for more than 20 minutes! Oh, this is a hard one for me! If I don’t see
that, “yes, I understand what you mean and I’m ready to try it on my own”
expression from every child, I get really nervous. I want them to jump off from
that point, but the truth is, some kids need to experiment and do before the light
bulb really clicks on. ALL the research shows we’re wired to tune out after
just a few minutes, so I want to maximize that time and get on with learning!
6.
Group by learning style at least once every couple
weeks. This is an idea I’ve thought about for a couple years, but haven’t
really done much about. I think kids will benefit from working with others with
similar learning styles, in order to synthesize what’s been learned and create
something uniquely suited for their particular personality type. I am really
one of those boring people that learn easily by listening and writing things
down, so sometimes it’s challenging for me to engage other types of learners in
creative projects that enhance their ability to learn.
7.
Reading
response journals. Last year, I had my students write almost every day, but
often their writing was kind of contrived and a little pointless. This year, I
plan to get them writing about what they’ve read (as they are going to be
reading every night). I think answering a question or two each day about the
novel of the month will be a great way to process. I plan on teaching the
majority of my literary text objectives from novels and using the reader for
comparing and contrasting across genres. So excited!
Frindle by Andrew Clements
is going to be our first novel!
8.
Vocabulary
journals. EVERY year I say I am going to do this, and every year, I find it
so cumbersome. The kids write so slow; it’s like pulling teeth to get most of
my students to WANT to learn vocabulary; I am just not sure of a surefire, easy
way to pull this off, but I think it’s really important! Anyone have any
suggestions on how to facilitate this?
9.
Ensure the
basics of grammar are cemented. I am a fifth grade bilingual teacher. Most
of my kids are still not sure what an adverb is at the end of fifth
grade, let alone the beginning. Our grammar materials assume the kids already
have a basic grasp of grammar, which is just not true! I found a great resource
in my room at the end of last year that is made for ESL students (my room is chock-full of materials that have accumulated over many years before I got there. I discover something new that I didn't know I had all the time; I'm really blessed!) I’ll be
starting with the basics, and if that’s all I ever get to, but they can
identify the parts of speech and use proper punctuation, I’ll be satisfied!
10.
Make an
impact in the school and education community. I’m still pretty new at this,
but I think my curriculum resources are top-notch, and my ideas promote
positive learning experiences. I love to share the things I develop and I enjoy
being part of a team in my own school, and in the greater community of
educators. It’s my goal to get a little more outspoken with my ideas, and maybe
even bring in some extra money with various resources on
TPT. I am proud to say I haven’t
bought any new materials from anyone other than teachers to begin this year
(other than
Really Good Stuff, but come on, they’re great!), and I think it’s
great that this website is providing a way for teachers, who know better than
anyone else what’s needed in the classroom, to make a difference and make some
money!
I hope reading about my goals has inspired you to set some
for yourself! Setting goals in anything is what keeps me motivated and engaged,
and we know that works the same way with students. What are your goals for this
year? I would love to hear about your vocabulary notebooking ideas, btw! See
you around the cyber classroom, and have an exciting and inspiring back-to-school!
