School Year Resolutions

I was going to do a post like this anyway, but then I saw the link-up on Teaching Maddeness: 

I also feel like teachers' New Year's Resolutions come in August instead of January. I have a lot I want to change this year (and haven't finished all the books I was supposed to--oops!).

1) I want to use every minute of the day better. I start out doing this really well, and then we don't always keep up with it. I've been finding more songs, movement activities that we can weave into our day. Have more fun!

2) I'm going to implement facets of Conscious Discipline. I don't know if it's the fact that I'm getting older and therefore less patient, or if the kids are just coming in more mischievous-but every year I seem to be getting more and more gray hair from the stress of kids' behavior. This year I will go in armed with some new strategies. 

3) I'm going to be better at creating and tracking assessments. This is good teaching and will also be required for our evaluations. I've been reading Understanding By Design, which is all about backwards design and creating more effective assessments based on what you are supposed to be teaching.

4) We're going to do yoga! I already bought some ABC yoga books and a posters. I'm going to incorporate it into my workstations. Just FYI-you will NOT be seeing pictures of me trying to demonstrate those moves-luckily it's hard to embarrass yourself with 5-year olds.

5) I'm going to also try to implement facets of a flipped classroom. If you are not familiar, it's using lessons you have recorded or websites with videos assigned to kids for differentiation.

6) I'm really going to try to communicate with parents better. I always thought I was good at this but had several unhappy ones :( this year. I'm going to use Remind 101 and some other new techniques to try to keep communication at it's best.

That sounds like a lot! I'm actually starting to get anxious about going back in a few weeks. I've enjoyed vacation and it's not that I want more lazy days, it's just I don't feel like I've done enough to prepare yet. Oh well-it will be here before we know it! :)