New Year's Resolution

I've never been one to make new year's resolutions, but I bet my students would have a few ideas for me if I asked :) I think my goal this year is, "simplify and smile." Like probably every new teacher, I came in with TONS of new ideas and activities for the classroom. Too many. In addition to theme units there were vocabulary and journal notebooks, a grammar strand, computer lab days with email, blogging and forum tasks to learn, independent reading time, and the whole idea of portfolio assessment organizing with a special binder, notebook, and the need to keep everything you do all semester.I think I overloaded their growing brains and it made the team-building side of things harder because it was reduced to commanding them to compliance in order to keep maximum time for activities. This year I cut out the fat. I've learned a lot about what is essential and what can go, and those are definitely going, which should leave some room for an increase in the fun quotient. If anyone's reading they'll like to see that.

That said, in 2 days they'll all come streaming back, I wonder how easily we'll slip back into school life? (I hear experienced teachers snickering). We have 7 days to finish the semester, which is publishing a magazine with each student contributing an article that shows what they learned. The publishing is my passion in teaching so I hope they are excited about it. How many 8th graders get to publish their work for the public instead of just giving an essay to the teacher?

I revamped the class website too. It didn't get nearly as much play as I had hoped so hopefully this more friendly design will entice more use. Check it out at sites.google.com/site/scottraymoure.

On a personal level, the train keeps rolling. Our home offer is at the bank and I may actually be a home owner this winter! Meanwhile, I better think of some genius things to say at my New Orleans conference asap. Clock is ticking on that, only 10 more weeks to go. Well, if you're reading, peace.