I know it might seem premature to be thinking about this already, but I am! :) I feel like we make our New Year's Resolutions for the new school year instead of January. I have reflected a lot on what we did this year and what could have gone better. I'm sure I will have more ideas to implement as I start attending more workshops and reading more professional books this summer. But here are my thoughts so far:
1) I want every child to feel like they are my favorite. I shared with you guys before that I went to an in-service by Todd Whitaker and this is something he said that struck me. I am going to try and forego the conduct chart (which will be tricky because it's required by my admin) and handle things more personally with each child. I hate when a book has been torn and they say "Johnny did it". And I ask, did you see Johnny do it-no, but he's always doing bad stuff. I don't want that kind of thinking next year.
2) I am going to take each table of kids to eat at our tables outside on Fridays. Not as a reward, not for any reason other than we are going to talk and try to connect with each other a little bit.
3) Interactive notebooks-not exactly sure how to implement this with Kinder kiddos, but reading up on it!
4) Daily blog for parents. I got this idea from Kimberley over at First in Maine. Every day we'll sit down to close out our day and put the highlights online for parents to read. I've had a class website for years, but not many parents use it. I need to figure out a way to advertise this better with the kiddos.
5) Be more organdized (that's how Winnie-the-Pooh says it :). I make this statement every year and never seem to be able to follow through with it.Not that it's an excuse but I stay after school several days a week for student clubs-I just don't have time to file things away like I'd like to. But I have to be better about that. I was trying to do my permanent folders at the end of the year and panicking because I couldn't find some of the paperwork (I found it, but certainly lost time looking).
That's all for now. Like I said the list will probably get longer as the summer wears on.
Have you started thinking about next year yet? If so, what are some of your goals.
These are great goals. I think it might helpful to write them and post them on your laptop. Maybe it'll bring you back to center regularly. You won't regret doing the blog that way. Let the kids take photos of things they do and of themselves, then post them.They can't help but talk it up at home.
ReplyDeleteI especially love #1 and #4 for myself. I remember your post about every child thinking they're the favorite. What a great goal. I've also pondered Kimberley's blogging idea a lot. I too want my parents to access the class blog more often, and I can see that her parents do. Lots to think about!
ReplyDelete❀ Tammy
Forever in First