Well...here we go again! Another school year has officially started and my head is already spinning with all sorts of ideas and goals I have for the upcoming year. First and foremost, my goal is to WRITE MORE on this blog! Last year was pretty pathetic (I think I did 2 posts...yikes!) so I really need to step up my game this year.
Speaking of goals, one of the first activities I did with both my 9th graders and my seniors focused on goals. With my seniors, I always have them create a goal sheet of what they want their life to look like for this year and beyond. I've now been doing this so long, that I even have former students discuss with me how their life turned out similar to or nothing like their goal sheet. (Sick confession: I actually made one of these in high school and STILL have it! #paperhoarder) With my 9th graders, I started doing an activity I have called "My Hope..." One of my twitter friends posted this inspirational video about how both teachers and students have similar hopes at the beginning of the year. I show my students the video and then give them a little pep talk about how they are starting off the year with a clean slate and they can make their year whatever they want it to be. Then, they write their hopes or goals for the year. I love the tone it sets to begin the year, showing how we all really want what's best.
So in addition to the activity, I thought I would post my hopes for the school year here as well. Let's hope (see what I did there?) I achieve some of these.
My hope is that this year will allow me to bring back more of my joy in teaching. Last year I lost much of it due to multiple reasons and I hope to revive it this year.
My hope is that I will be able to be both an excellent teacher and a happy, balanced person who is also a good mother and wife. Often times it seems that both cannot exist.
My hope is that my students will learn from me. Of course I want them to learn things having to do with reading and writing, but I want them to learn so much more than that. I hope they learn life lessons they will carry with them. I hope they learn about compassion, empathy, hard work, and that being a good person pays off.
My hope is that my students will feel loved. By me, by other teachers/adults in our building, and also by someone at home.
My hope is that my students will take risks. I hope they can do this in order to allow themselves to have the best year possible and not worry about what others think of them.
My hope is my students understand that I can have high expectations of them but also be supportive at the same time.
My hope is that I will spend less time writing comments on papers and more time conferencing about them with students. This is where the true magic happens.
My hope is that I won't be doing all the talking/working/reading and that my students will be active, productive members of my class.
My hope is that we will get up and move more. Whether it be out of our seats, down the hallway, or even out of our building.
My hope is to connect more without the outside world via our reading, writing, and speaking.
My hope is that students know that I'm not perfect, I will make mistakes, but that I really try hard to do right by them.
My hope is that I don't forget, as I once did, to have fun and laugh with students. If this isn't happening, then what the heck is the point?
My hope is for a wonderful year. And I hope this for you as well!
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