It is indeed a new year, resolutions abound, and people fell eager, excited, rejuvenated, and ready to change their lives. I am one of these people as well that truly views a new year as a time for transformation, a time to renew vows made to oneself, to reflect, and to reevaluate.
I, too, made a resolution, a small one to save more money for traveling, but that is it. Professionally, I have quite a few resolutions going on already, as my husband reminds me, such as limiting homework, throwing out grades, student blogging, and my fun new blog for sharing lesson and. So yes, I have a full load, but a fun one.
So instead of a resolution, I decided to remember the goals I have already made for the year. We get so busy with piling new ones on, that we can forget about the awesomeness of the old ones. So the goals I renew to myself are, in no particular order:
- Remember they are all of our children. There is no such thing as just "your" students anymore, make yourself visible to all, and treat them all as if they did indeed belong to you, because they really do.
- Question yourself. Why do you do the things that you do in your classroom? Why do you teach this way?
- Take time to discover your passion. Your passion may be apparent to you but to some people it isn't, however, if you don't give yourself the gift of time to really reflect, how will you ever discover that you love zombies, technology, and Neil Gaiman?
- Give the gift of now. Be present wherever you are, whether it be in your classroom, with your family, or in the car. Give that moment in time the honor of being there fully, even though that may be hard, it is worth it in the long run.
- Reach out to others. Whether it be through Twitter, your PLN, or staff members, use them, reflect with them, and praise them. These are the people that will support, encourage, and challenge you on a regular basis, these are the people that will raise you up.
- And finally, don't survive it - live it!
