All school-year long I go so fast that I can hardly stop to think, let alone plan for change. Summer is the time when I reflect on what I did well last year, what didn't go well, and how I want to change things.
My list this summer is long: change the order of Journalism units, up the amount of writing in Comp 11, revisit Vocab and Grammar instruction in English 9, create new lit circles units for English 9 (on the themes of disabilities & heroes), add A Midsummer's Night's Dream to English 9.... The biggest change I'm going to tackle is grading. I. WILL. MAKE. THE. CHANGE. (I promised in my last entry that I'd do a blog entry about that. I will. I will. Once I'm clear and set, I will.)
I'd better get hopping!
Summer is the time when I read voraciously. I've finished 4 professional books and reviewed them here on my website. I have 5 more that I want to read and review soon. ...Plus, I just ordered a few more from Amazon (my wallet hates insomnia!). I need to get cracking on reading young adult lit to recommend to next year's kids; I've finished 5 or 6 books and started 3 or 4 others. I brought 25 home from the library and have many others I purchased for my classroom library last year that I haven't read yet. The beach days loom ahead and I feel the pages of the books calling me.
Summer is also the time when I get reacquainted with my life. My kids love playing at any number of local lake beaches, we like to kayak, and last year we started hiking. Sleep-overs with friends are many. The dog is happy to sleep outside in the warm sun and chase birds from the feeders. I deep clean the house and go through closets and drawers for clothes to give away or pass on. Family members who live far away are suddenly called. I make breakfast dates with friends or meet them for drinks. Ahhh...
And always, in the back of my mind, are my students...my work... Teaching is my calling.
Teachers are often criticized for having summers "off." Yes, life is slower for most of us in the summer. However, there are not many of us who don't think and read and plan...reflecting on best practice...learning and honing our craft.
Summer. And Teaching. Growth.
My list this summer is long: change the order of Journalism units, up the amount of writing in Comp 11, revisit Vocab and Grammar instruction in English 9, create new lit circles units for English 9 (on the themes of disabilities & heroes), add A Midsummer's Night's Dream to English 9.... The biggest change I'm going to tackle is grading. I. WILL. MAKE. THE. CHANGE. (I promised in my last entry that I'd do a blog entry about that. I will. I will. Once I'm clear and set, I will.)
I'd better get hopping!
Summer is the time when I read voraciously. I've finished 4 professional books and reviewed them here on my website. I have 5 more that I want to read and review soon. ...Plus, I just ordered a few more from Amazon (my wallet hates insomnia!). I need to get cracking on reading young adult lit to recommend to next year's kids; I've finished 5 or 6 books and started 3 or 4 others. I brought 25 home from the library and have many others I purchased for my classroom library last year that I haven't read yet. The beach days loom ahead and I feel the pages of the books calling me.
Summer is also the time when I get reacquainted with my life. My kids love playing at any number of local lake beaches, we like to kayak, and last year we started hiking. Sleep-overs with friends are many. The dog is happy to sleep outside in the warm sun and chase birds from the feeders. I deep clean the house and go through closets and drawers for clothes to give away or pass on. Family members who live far away are suddenly called. I make breakfast dates with friends or meet them for drinks. Ahhh...
And always, in the back of my mind, are my students...my work... Teaching is my calling.
Teachers are often criticized for having summers "off." Yes, life is slower for most of us in the summer. However, there are not many of us who don't think and read and plan...reflecting on best practice...learning and honing our craft.
Summer. And Teaching. Growth.