When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, we all hear
about the typical weight/health/finance related promises we make to ourselves –
but why not use this yearly changeover to make some classroom promises instead?
We can all use some new goals, and our students will be the
ones benefiting from the changes with us. Win-win, I’d say!
The modern teacher juggles a dynamic sets of roles and
tasks, from friend, coach, and leader, to agent of literacy, technology
pioneer, and stoker of curiosity. To help you get started on your personal
list of classroom resolutions and goals, here are five great ideas that can be
implemented in any level of class.
1.
I will
experiment with technology that scares me.
This is your chance to try some new things with your
students. ‘New Tech’ doesn’t necessarily refer to a completely different piece
of technology being used each week, but rather to a commitment to try new ways
of using tech in your teaching.
Whether you’re using old technology in new ways, or
new technology in traditional ways, challenge yourself to do something
“scary”–nothing literally terrifying, but rather an app or method
of student access to content or digital communities that forces you to learn
new things.
Obviously, use your best judgment here. The idea is
not to stir up trouble or get yourself fired, but rather to push yourself out
of your comfort zone as you continue to modernize and refine your craft for
2014.
2. I will
consistently try new approaches to learning.
For example, No-Plan Friday.
Don’t confuse ‘no plan’ with ‘no planning’! ‘No plan’
teaching is a great way to get students excited for a lesson each week. You
still need to plan the objectives of the lesson, but you can leave the activity
unplanned. Start the lesson with a discussion about the goals and
objectives you want students to be working towards that day. Then, see where
the conversation leads you!
Allow students to share their creativity by working on
open-ended and mostly unstructured work. This can really help to target
different learning types, as each student can choose what works best for them.
Some may work in small groups, while others choose to work alone. At the end,
each student or group should share their creation with the class. This makes
for interesting presentations as the class is treated to a variety of skits,
stories, newscast videos, or informational posters. The sky (and student
imagination) should be the limit!
3. I will teach through moments.
Commit yourself to building stronger relationships
with your students. Make a point of speaking with at least one student each day
about something completely unrelated to classwork or school activities.
Keep track of who you speak with to make sure that you
get around to everyone before starting over again. Some students seek out their
teachers to share stories and build bonds, but this resolution can certainly
help you to show all your students that they are important and valued members
of your classroom community. Don’t forget to share some stories about yourself
as well!
4. I will create a
system that honors students.
One idea? An end of the month Ceremony.
The last school day of each month is a great time to
highlight the successes of your class and students. Put some time aside to
acknowledge the students that have been working well, putting in good effort,
or helping their community.
Highlighting personal successes can go a long way as
well – if you know a student advanced his level in karate, mention it to the
class! If a student deserves to be thanked for something, do so! Allow students
to raise their and to give thanks to others as well (the impact of “thanks for
letting me play with you at recess” shouldn’t be underestimated). Allowing a
bit of time to celebrate successes and give special thanks can only add glue to
the bonds students forge with you and with each other.
5. I will think
literacy backwards.
Literacy Monday is one way to try this.
In Literacy Monday, challenge students to read
something new each weekend, and take up the challenge yourself! This might be a
great time for you to catch up on new trends in your field by committing to
read at least one new article each week. Students can choose from stories or
articles related to their personal interests. It’s important to let your
students choose what they read (even if it means reading walkthoughs of video
games each week), as the goal is to help them recognize the benefits of literacy
in their personal lives.
Each Monday, open a discussion where students can
share some information about what they read. You, as the teacher, can even
start things off by sharing what you learned in your article. I have found that
older students tend to be especially interested in discussing new trends in
education. You may just find inspiration for a project that the class can be
very excited about completing!
Conclusion
There are countless more ideas for resolutions that
can make your classroom an even better pace than it already is. Please share
some of your own ideas with other readers by leaving a comment below! You never
know what ideas will resonate with a fellow teacher.
Oh, and I’d like to wish a happy and safe New Year’s
to you and to your students!
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