Like most teachers, the job has been pretty challenging these past few years. People ask "what is your why?" and if I'm being completely honest-I'm not sure what mine is. Maybe the fact that I've been doing this so long that I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I see the videos of teachers quitting and I admire their bravery and know it would probably be less stressful, but I am in this for the long haul. :) 10 more years until I can retire (not that I'm counting or anything).
My class this year is one of my favorites. They are so kind to each other and it was easy to create a classroom family and develop a positive classroom culture. We have meetings every morning and they all know how much I care about them.
They also have had their struggles. Day One our data trackers showed I had 7 students already identified for Urgent Intervention. I have one student who has not been in school at all before 1st Grade. Of course the goal posts are the same for these kids and it is so hard to create lessons and assessments that can help them be successful and fill in gaps while not losing everyone else.
My class this year is full of questions-which I LOVE! They ask about other countries, animals, world records. They love using technology and enjoy the tech programs we use for games like Code.org and Blooket as well as learning how to type in programs like word and powerpoint.
So as I think about how far we've come and where we need to go, what are my resolutions?
1) One of the things my school is expecting more of is student-led learning. I have started having students teach our warm-up activities in reading and in math-but I need to find other ways to have them take the lead. Two students get chosen every day to be the "teacher assistants" (so they won't feel self-conscious alone) and everyone has a turn-I am adamant about that.
2) Differentiation-this is the hardest thing in a 1st Grade classroom. I have a student who taught himself how to use powerpoint and cut and pasted a slideshow of what he wants for Christmas. All the way to a student who has not ever attended school before this year. Their needs are very different. I'm good at differentiation in small groups, but during whole group instruction and assignments is harder. I need to work on that.
3) Organization-last year at our last faculty meeting my award was "Organized Chaos". I have to admit it really hurt my feelings. I feel like I contribute a lot to my campus and this is what you think of me. But I digress. Yes, I am not the most organized. I start of the year with those intentions but teaching 1st grade I do not have a minute to file something. And after school I'm exhausted. So my goal is to try harder with this.
4) Goals-I want to find a better way for my students to track their goals. I have an issue with the grade level standards and how much harder it has become for our young students to be on grade level. Over half my students are labeld for intervention on Day One of 1st grade. So I don't want to make the kids self-conscious and give them more anxiety. But I do want them to be able to see the progress they are making.
What are your resolutions this year?
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