The great thing about teaching is we get to "start over" every year and tweak what hasn't been working. What are some of the things you plan to do different this school year? Why?
I need to change how I organize notes regarding parent contact. I know it's not a difficult thing to do, but I've never kept up with it as consistently as I should. I'm moving my desk this year so that it is by my phone (last year it was in the furthest corner because my phone is right by the door to the hall) so I'm hoping that those little notes get filed more expediently.
I plan on planning units ahead of time, instead of planning day to day. That came about because of the situation I was put into when hired, coming in in the middle of the year and not having info of what was covered by the LTS until after my first day. So I was in a bad place......this year I want to plan units, assessments BEFORE I teach it so I don't feel like I am drowning.
I plan on organizing my lessons and units much more. I am working on organizing my files. Basically, I'm going to start out organized this year at least-lol! I'm also going to spend a lot of time on teaching routines and being consistent.
I think this year for me will run more smoothly. I already have 2 months of lesson plans done. The objectives for those are color coded and dated on my science frameworks. I have made a different game for each chapter I am teaching. I have the student notes and teacher notes already complete. I have all my tests and keys finished except the nine weeks test I have to code objectives with each question I wish I had that done already. I am sure I will think of something else I wish i had already done.......
Like the rest of the world I will try to be more organized. Major goal this year is to keep my low end kids organized (the type that would forget their head if it wasn't attached). I am also going to try redoing the way I do homework. I've actaually found an idea and tweaked it from an elementary class!
For me, its getting rid of all the clutter. I'm a pack rat, and I'm tired of having boxes laying around. My goal for this year is to get the clutter out of my classroom!
How students are getting make-up work, how social studies/science notebooks are stored, how writing materials are stored, and having a catalogue of my classroom library books. Oh, and the calendars of my lessons, they'll help tremendously, I hope.
I plan on making sure I manage homework and make up work better. I plan to actually teach social studies and cursive this year. And I also intend to keep the top of my desk clear for at least half the school year!
I am getting more organized too. This year is the first year after 5 years of teaching that I will be teaching the same subject and grade twice. I've also moved classrooms every year too. so... I finally have the opportunity to get physically organized--papers, student procedures that regard the physical space (i.e. where they put their papers), furniture set up, addition of new furniture and organizers... It is wonderful to not have to start over this coming year with the basic setup. Instead I get to tweak and I think that will make the year go smoother. As far as lessons, I am planning up a storm with very concrete plans coming to fruition--and it feels so wonderful!! I want to have at least the first semester completely filled out (leaving room for needed changes, of course) and the whole year mapped out into a long-term plan for both preps. I really have a lot already.
ohhhh, there's a bunch of things I want to change! So much, that I need to cut back. If I bite off more than I can chew I'll end up as overwhelmed as last year and it'll be useless. So here are the basics that I want to improve: *Spend a lot more time on rules, routines, procedures. *Raise my expectations (and therefore redo lesson plans) for journal and story writing. (I hadn't realized how much first graders are capable of!) *Expand on my science/social studies units *Initiate social skills program That's enough for now. When all that's off the ground, I'll think about the other stuff on my list!
I am going to much more firm and MEAN! lol. Well "mean" to a child's standards. You are considered mean if you expect them to do work and act like a normal human being lol. Next thing is organization. I was a mess last year and it made my job so much harder than it needed to be. Another goal is to plan out my lessons at least two weeks in advance. When I gain more experience, I will aim for four weeks... then six... then so on. With math though, I plan on making up my notes for a week and then organizing them into a binder with page protectors. Ahh, I love math! It's so easy to prepare! Science is the one that will take up most of my time. I'm not going to plan out science until I get my new textbook (hopefully soon!). I still can't complain. I am working with a teacher I like, I only have 60 kids and I only teach two math (90 minutes each) and two science, so life will be good!
I have a few things I want to work on. I am working on National Board Teacher Certification this year so I plan on making sure everything that I do can tie back to student learning. It is forcing me to become more organized (although DD says I am already OCD about organizing my room and he can't believe it can be any more organized than it is!) I also plan on finding more time in my schedule to do family things.
I plan on better documenting my reading and writing conferences. I also need to find a way to better incorporate grade level text into reading. My school is huge on differientating, but the students I'm getting are reading about 2 grade levels behind, so they obviously need instruction on their level, but they also need more exposure to 4th grade level stuff.
I plan on keeping my temper and not raising my voice. The kids are so used to being yelled at when they are home that they tune me out. I really need to work on this. Also, I want to make a substitute crate and keep tons of stuff in there for subs. You just never know when you have to call in sick with a soon-to-be 4 yr. old and a 2 1/2 year old, both boys. Organization has never been consistent with me so I plan on really working on this. I will spend time after school every day to make sure that things are neat and organized for the next day. Whew! I'm tired already!
Documentation procedures. I bought sticky lables to write my notes on. Instead of re-writing them, I will stick them in the children's file. I will keep 3 by 5 cards for each child with me on a ring and also write notes on them. When a card is full I will attach it to the files. I will also be more specific with my aide.
Me too!! I already set it up in school today when I went to work on my room. I found a huge box of those old lables for the printer. I put them on my desk so I can grab them when I need to jot something down then that's it...stick it on the inside of their file! Thank you for the idea!!
Sometimes I give the kids something to do, then decide not to do anything with it... this is not good for anyone. Basically, I want to look at quality of what I ask of them, not the quantity.
I just found that in a book on observation from NAEYC. I was so excited because organization of observation notes have been a problem.
- Keeping track of my parent communication better! - Cleaning off my desk before going home each evening. - passing back assignments earlier then later (now that I have the summer to do some planning, I'm hoping I'll have more time for marking after school). Great question! There is tonnes more that I can work on, but I figure that if I concentrate on a few, I'll have a chance for success!
I'm changing alot of things! I'm switching grade levels, but not rooms. Like everyone else, being more organized, making myself clear off my desk at night, keeping up with everything.
I'm going to have less stress! I am having my first child in March, so I am finally going to stop killing my self and let my team members pick up the slack. I have always been "the one with no kids" so they make me do everything, and now, I'M NOT YIPPEEEEE!!!!!!!
To clean off my desk at the end of the day and make sure things are ready for the next day before I leave. I have a 40 minute commute on a good day, but there is often a lot of traffic and I walk in right as its time to get the kids...and my room isn't ready for the day yet:-(
I want to do more centers and use picture schedules with my SPE students. I always have good intentions. I just need to increase my following through.
Last year I changed grades and it was the first year I had to grade papers and record number grades in a long time. This year I want to grade my papers quicker instead of letting them pile up and having lots to do over the weekend.
I want to learn to let go! I was so uptight last year as a first year teacher, but I know I have got to learn what battles to fight. Now, with that said, knowing what I need to do and doing it are two totally different things.
I know that if I let the papers pile up to do over the weekend, it won't get done. Then it goes into the next week. Ugh! I end up circular filing things that I shouldn't.
I stamp "COMPLETED" on practice stuff...homework...classwork... The only stuff I grade are the pieces I use to actually assess: Significant classwork assignments Quizzes Test Projects Presentations Reall, all the other work in between is just to get them to the mastery level and shouldn't be calculated into the average. I've been participating is workshops to teach us how to grade effectively and thise is what they tell us and it makes such sense! Remeber the first time you got behind the wheel to learn to drive? Imagine getting a grade for each time you get behind the wheel us intil the final day. Your instructor averages all your scores and depending on your overall average, you may or may not meet the criteria to get your liscense. Never mind that you drive well NOW...we are going to lower your overall grade because we are going to use those low scores you earned while you were still learning. Not fair!!! I grade when it's time to assess. The attempts to get to mastery level should not be held against you. It makes some kids afraid to try. If you struggled 10 times and now you can do it by the time we are assessing, well, then you deserve the grade you've earned NOW...
Your plan and reasoning all make a lot of sense to me! I find myself telling older kids that I tutor "this isn't to test you - this is learning time" because they're counting to see how many mistakes did I make as we go over things.
That is exactly what I was thinking for this year. My baby is due in October and I don't know how many times I have heard others saying they can't do it cuz of their kids. So, I'll be the same this year....
Wow! It sounds like everyone has great plans and have reflected enough to know what they need...excellent. I want to work on: Organizing what I have and what I'll need Organizing my library and list all the books I have and make a 'wants' book list Finding a myriad of behavioral modification plans Organizing worksheets, projects by subjects/grades Wow, I have a lot to do without even having a classroom, lol! I better get busy!! Actually I have been doing this but I need to finish it, so I'll add finish what I started to the list, lol!
