"The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows."  ~ Sydney J. Harris

Rising to the Challenge

Pause to reflect every day during the first 30 days of a new school year?  I must be crazy! Yet, after reading the challenge offered on Social Media by the people of te@chthought and feeling strongly enough about its message to post it to my wall for later thought, I find myself intrigued. With a little nudge from a long time friend, Susan,  also a teacher, I have decided to rise to the challenge.  

Feeling the nudge to turn mirrors into windows, join the challenge at:  http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

September 1st:

Write your goals for the school year. Be as specific or abstract as you’d like to be!

Our school year officially begins tomorrow, with two days of meetings, and then students will begin on Thursday. I begin each fresh school year with the same excitement and belief that this will be the year that my New Year's Resolutions will indeed be fulfilled and attained. These resolutions and goals usually fall by the wayside, or perhaps pushed and shoved are better descriptors, by the demands of the every day. So I set the following goals with intention and with hope, that by committing them to a public forum, I will feel the need to hold them close and see them accomplished.

  1. Have my students work harder than I do.

As a person that likes to be in control of all situations at all times, I struggle with giving my students the autonomy and responsibility that they often should have and need. From the setting of class rules to determining short and long time goals, I want to find ways to challenge my students and give them the opportunities to take the lead.

  2.  Incorporate higher level questioning.

As a district we have chosen to use the Danielson teacher evaluation model. One of the areas that I struggle with is consistently utilizing higher level questioning AND have my students ask each other challenging questions within a lesson. (See goal #1).  

  3.  Leave the bag at school, aka be present.

This is a personal goal for the year. Every year I stuff a ton of work into my bag, irregardless of the size of said bag or the after school commitments I may have, to work on at home.  This year I intend to work at work.  I long admired a now retired co-worker who set her work hours and did not carry her work home with her.  When I asked her about this, she said that she found that many a night the bag was just added weight - it traveled but never was opened once she arrived at home.  So she decided one day that she would no longer carry the bag, but would be present when at school, attending to school, and then present at home, attending to home. I, too, am guilty of carrying added weight. This year I am choosing to be present.

So - what are your goals?

29 to go!

#reflective teacher