Thursday, July 10, 2014

Farewell Summer, Hello Back to School!

This short summer is a killer. I haven't even been the pool once yet! With summer school and then starting back at the beginning of the August. I'm not quite sure where my summer has gone. I've already been shopping Target for back to school supplies. Really Target, was putting everything out this early necessary?

But, with the start of school about a month away for me, I decided to link up with I {Heart} Recess to share my 2014 - 2015 Teaching Goals. I can't be in denial about school starting any longer so setting some goals should help me get ready for a new year and new kiddos.

Here's last year's goals...


So, my personal goal failed miserably. I never left by 3:45 (totally unrealistic) and made it to the gym on the week days only a hand full of times. It's my own fault but I really do need to be better about saving some time for me. However, everything else I met with optimism and success! I had a lot of fun reading some new novels and trying out new activities like our Lemonade Day!

And this year...
My biggie this year to to get myself organized. We're collecting all this data and I have be at a million meetings. Last year, I had a huge binder with all my data, graphs, student tests, etc. It was great for me but a total pain to take to meetings. It was just way, way, way too much to bring to a student meeting. This year, I'm hoping to split my data binder into my evidence, forms, tests, benchmarks, etc. and then have a smaller binder or notebook for my gradebook and current student/classroom data. Then, I can bring evidence as needed to meetings and not an entire 3'' binder! How do you keep yourself organized in the age of RTI, MAP, State Testing, and Guided Reading Levels?

I also hope to really hone in all my vocabulary practice this year. Our district is making vocabulary in the content areas the prime focus and I'm ready to jump on board. I've read several of the "gurus" and they make some great points. This means redoing some of my "morning work warm-up" activities and creating new root and prefix based spelling lists. But I'm ready! {Okay, almost ready!}

What is one goal you have for next school year?
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3 comments

  1. I really want to focus on vocabulary this year, too. I really need some great resources. I want to read Word Nerds, have you read that one? I've heard it's pretty good.

    As far as spelling goes, for my last two years I've done differentiated lists, ones that I've made up, ones that I found on TPT and then this year for 5th I found Ladybug Teaching Files' Morphology lists. Have you seen them yet? All differentiated for the school year and it's like prefix, suffix, root word work all rolled into one. I'm excited to buy it a little closer to August!!

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  2. I won a copy of Vocabulary Unplugged, by Alana Morris. I didn't get a chance to really read it last school year so I brought it home with me this summer. It has some great, interactive, critical thinking lessons and activities that can be used with any spelling or vocabulary list. I cannot wait to try out some of her ideas. I highly recommend checking out the book.

    Sandy
    Lessons in the Sand

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  3. I feel like I make an early morning workout a goal every chance I get but barely ever go. It's hard to get up and loose sleep haha!

    I am really trying to get organized this year as well. I'm currently in the process of switching my lesson plans from 100000 of folders into 5-6 binders...yikes!

    -Sarah

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