Summer Planning 2016

Summer Planning 2016

Like so many teachers right now, I am planning for my classroom.  For some teachers, it is mentally preparing themselves for the upcoming year.  For other teachers, they are learning about a new curriculum or moving to a new room, building, or district altogether.

For me, I am moving from the classroom I have been in for 2 years to a classroom down the hall  (I'm stealing it because the SMART board is in the optimal position in the room!).

I am going into my third year of teaching, and I am quite excited.  I have heard that the next bunch of students will not be as well-behaved as my last bunch.  It is hilarious because I heard the same thing about my current batch.

I am not sure what to expect for this year, but this is what I know.

I will continue teaching 7th grade math where I will have the Special Education Inclusion students, with the assistance of an Inclusion Aide daily.  I will be assisting another new teacher to teach the same subject and grade level as me (have done so for other teachers in the last 2 years so I have some practice).  I will be sponsoring Student Council mainly by myself which is okay since I am a micromanager, lol.

And most of all, I will be completing my principal certification practicum.  Well, this year will be tough, but I am using this summer to do what I can for it.  The better prepared I am for the new year, the better I'll feel about it...since planning makes everything better, right?  HA!  I'll try.

Here are some things I am going to do to prepare myself:

1. Keep track and maintain my Eric Condren Teacher Planner.
2. Meet weekly with my new Inclusion Aide and ensure she participates appropriately in the classroom.
3. Meet weekly with my 7th grade Math planning team.
4. Grade papers in class as much as possible.
5. Input grades within 3 days of receiving the papers.
6. GIVE THE GRADED WORK BACK IN A TIMELY MANNER! (I'm really bad at this since I tend to pile it up and give it all back at the end of the 6 weeks).
7. Make copies only 2 days before I use them.  (I can't tell you how many times our plans have changed after printing off hundreds of papers we will no longer use).
8. Speak with each student's parent or guardian at least once POSITIVELY each semester.
9. DO NOT do lunch tutoring.  (I always weigh myself down with these and it ends up being a social time instead of learning time).
10. Do not take on someone else's job (especially when they just don't want to do their job/tasks when they should have done their job/tasks earlier or asked for help).
11. Don't take test scores personally.
12. And finally, take some time for myself each day.

My goals for this year for Math:

• Create a positive learning atmosphere in each class period.
• Find and train two "math stars" in each class period who will assist with peer tutoring when necessary.
• Improve test scores significantly from the first checkpoint to the fifth checkpoint.
• Test and review at the end of each unit.

My goals for this year in Student Council:

• Complete each task early and completely.
• Encourage a positive atmosphere within the organization.
• Pair 7th and 8th graders to create mentor-mentee relationships.
• Exceed previous fundraising amounts.

Is each goal possible to accomplish without wigging me out?  Maybe.  Will I complete every one of these goals?  Hopefully.  

When you are on your own, you sometimes have to take a step back and pray that you have enough time in the day, week, month, and year to accomplish everything.  My students will not know if I cut out half of a lesson because I have to reteach a lesson.  My students will not know if I have to come up with an additional assignment if we soar through the current lesson.  I have to fake it until I make it.  And this will be my toughest year yet.  

This last year was incredible in regards to the kids I was blessed to teach.  I can only hope and pray that I will be able to be the teacher my next batch of students need and want.

~Miss Lovett