2015 - More & Less

Since I have had a lot of down time these holidays (no massive tripping around being adventurous). So I have been doing a lot of reflecting and thinking. Kind of goal setting in my head - I've been meaning to find some way to record my thinking. I did consider doing a vision board - after my Mum posted something on my Facebook page. But my lazy holiday self didn't want to go to school to find all my magazines, and other craft supplies!

After reading : http://chched.blogspot.co.nz/2015/01/happy-new-year-bring-on-2015.html 

I realised my blog is a perfect place to record my thinking. I need to use my blog more! 

Bridget wrote about the things she wanted to do more and less of in the Classroom - I think this is an excellent concept - which I am going to steal for the purpose of focusing my thinking. I have already written a long list of things I know I want to do - and have even managed to find a few less! 

My goals for 2015 are:

More:

• Use Task Cards: This I came across when I went to a PLD session with Lane Clark. Task cards help focus students when they are researching during inquiry. I also like using thinking sheets to help really nail down the things I want them to find out! These do take more time for me to set up - BUT the pay off with student success is worth it! 

• Continue to use Audio books: In 2014 I used Audio books to help engage students in a longer novel - A lot of my readers were taking FOREVER to read a novel -and would loose interest halfway through. The power of the Audio book is it gives another dimension to the novel. It takes away the pressure of pronouncing unknown words and has the added benefit of giving another reading voice to students besides my own. I have used a combination of novels, and audio books so they have the text and the voice. I also use Kindle and Audible for other reading mediums. I know School Journals have a selection of texts available in audio format, and a couple of years ago I used Special services as part of the National Library to send audio books to me when I had a hearing impaired student. So there shouldn't be too much of a hit to my credit card! I already have a huge selection - and I'm not teaching the same students! 

• Celebrate and share: This year I am investigating Modern Learning Practices. I have been doing a little research - and one area I am really keen on ensuring I have a Mountain Top "Mountaintop: a place to present and share your learning - “to sing it from the mountaintop”. I really see this as one of the most important spaces in my classroom - successes no matter how big or small need to be shared and celebrated. I hope to use Twitter to continue to share my classes success.

• Use Twitter - daily! As a class I am pretty good at ensuring we tweet regularly. Completing Pirate Challenges helps with this - and asking experts to help with Inquiry adds another level of communication. Personally I need to use Twitter regularly - I need to think of a way in which I can do that without it seeming like a chore. Maybe I need to do a picture of the day challenge or question I have? More to come on this....

• More - Science, Art,  Music - Dancing just cos! I have an interesting mix of students for 2015 - and I want to give them success. Success doesn't always come in the form of Literacy or Numeracy for some students and I want ALL students in my class to share their successes with other students. I need to give students the opportunity to explore and create in different areas of the curriculum - including creating music, as well as different art medias. I am studying science in 2015 again, so there will be many opportunities for sharing science finds with my class. 

• Teach like a Pirate - Pirates take risks, they aren't afraid to give something new a go. I want to use 2015 to really investigate what it means to teach like a pirate and what that means for the success of student learning in a modern learning environment. 

 Less

• Saying Yes! I am a yes person. I hate hurting peoples feelings, so I always try to help out when someone asks. This means I often give up time that I should be spending working on things for my students. This year Yes is limited for the sake of students, and for my sanity! I need to learn to say NO! I can't do everything - I often do a lot of things at school because I feel that if I don't then the kids will miss out. 

• MESS! I am shocking! The amount of paper that follows me around - I need to find a way to keep on top of all my filing. I also want to be able to put my hands on that photocopying I did! I'm not sure I am ready to give up my desk like Bridget did - but it might be something I will work towards.

• Boredom - I don't want to be bored, and I don't want my students to be bored - I want to teach students about learning to learn - so they know what works best for them. How their brain works, and what strategies for learning works best for the individual. (this somehow has turned into a more!!) 

Other

• Having a life - I need to find someway to have a work / life balance. For the last 4.5years school has been my entire life. I live in Marlborough - so maybe I should check out some of the many Vineyards and really start to appreciate the good things (wine, chocolate, outdoors) that Marlborough has to offer! 
• Complete my Open Polytechnic Primary Science certificate
• Take more Photos - and learn how to use Photoshop properly
• Travel - see more of the world
• Inquire into what Modern Learning Environments are and the best practice 
• Ask for help before I am in too deep! 
• Cook! Chelsea Winter has some pretty cool recipes in the book I got recently!