Next Year Linky!

One of the awful/great things about teaching is that you get to start over every September! I say it’s awful because you send your class off in June and you spent an entire year building momentum and helping them grow.  It’s great because you get to start fresh with a new slate in September.  You get another try!  Yet this is also sad in a way because you always reflect on all the things you want to fix or do better the next year.  I don’t know about you, but that makes me feel like I didn’t do my best when June rolls around and I am thinking about the next year. But course, I am also the person who wants to make everything perfect the next year! I think most teachers are cut from this mold!

Saying this, I am linking with Kim at Joy in 6th grade who is hosting a fun linky perfect for reflecting.

Here are my “I am DEFINITELY going to dos" for next year:

I know I say this every year, but with moving to yet another grade and a new room yet again, I have another chance to purge and reorganize myself.  Hopefully I will not have that opportunity for a few years! The paper trap really got to me this year.  It wasn’t as bad as the past few years, but still need to have better systems for dealing with it.

I have to admit – I am not much of a planner.  I love how a beautiful plan book can look, but I tend to store a lot of my planning in my head.  It works well for me – except when the next year rolls around.  I find that when I spend a lot of time writing my plans down, I never follow them anyway! I’m so much better in the moment!

Ah, my nemesis this year!  I really dislike grading – especially math where there are written explanations.  Plus, it just wasn’t something we did a lot of in first grade – most of our work was verbal or inquiry based. I  tried to use class time, snack time, recess to grade, but the reality is that even a teacher’s brain needs a break.  I felt exhausted by the end of the day because I was micromanaging every single minute.  I would love to have the kids grade more of their own math work, but with state testing, that is a lot of time out of a 55 minute math time when I have students from four classes.  Any how, I would really like to work on this next year.

The fun was just sucked out of this year.  Testing – yuck! Fun things always got pushed out of the way because there was so much more to do or things to deal with.  It seems like I would just get to the point where we could do something fun and it was time to move on to the next thing!

I am embarrassed to say that I am planning my first project in June!  We are doing a European Tour where students are going to complete research and then we will learn from the posters we make and get passports stamped.  I haven’t sent a single project home all year – so sad!

I would also like to not be such a perfectionist!  I have made great strides this year.  I refuse to check school email on the weekends and try to limit my time at school.  I don’t think I have hung more that 5 displays in the hall this year and my lessons have not been stellar creative.  Sometimes, that’s just how it goes and I am becoming more okay with knowing that the best I can do at that moment is the best I can do. 

Well, I  guess my list isn’t too big is it?!?  Who am I kidding? This list is crazy!  But, I guess they are goals and things to work on.  I have enjoyed seeing what others are adding to their lists and can’t wait to read more!  Go link up!