As I look forward to next year, I realize that I need to prepare for amazing students.
I've watched these students grow this year in my class and my fourth grade colleague's classes. I've witnessed their questions, creativity, problem solving, and investigation through multiple field studies, curriculum units, grade-level projects, and school-wide events. I've also noted the time that their parents, specialists, leaders, counselors, and classroom teachers have invested in these young students. I see the children's bright eyes and earnest actions, and I recognize that they have high expectations for me.
So how will I respond to this worthy, and a bit daunting, challenge to teach well.
First, I'll prepare. I'll read the curriculum materials and related research. I'll seek out optimal materials, processes, and strategies. I'll arrange the room in an inviting way, and create a "loose-tight" schedule to start the year--a schedule that the children and I will revise as needed. I'll open the doors for summer share and summer study too if students or families desire that.
Next, I'll think about these students' profiles over the summer. I've created a short survey for parents to fill out if they'd like, a study that will help to inform the work I do to prep for these young scholars. I'll also read up on their collective learning style since I've had the chance to observe these learners, and have a good sense about their needs and interests.
After that, I'll build that "learning to learn" initial unit--the unit that will empower learning mindsets and actions. We will share this unit as a collective framework for learning well in this age of ready information, multiple resources, and individual boundaries.
Then, I'll think of the specific needs students will bring--the needs that challenge the integration of process and content, and I'll make sure that the schedule prioritizes time for students' most needed skills--the skills that will affect their learning across disciplines, skills like reading, writing, a math foundation, confidence, problem solving, research, and more.
I'm not the only teacher who will be teaching amazing students next year. The truth is that we all teach amazing students, and we teach them at a time in their lives when their potential and opportunity is also amazing. The way we prepare for and ready our programs, process, and priorities will lay a path to meeting these students with the care, quality, and direction to teach well.
