No teaching/learning year is a perfect year--there is always room for growth and development. We can always do better.
I am really happy with the way this year went, however, I want to better our ability to provide specific and meaningful supports to all students. I want to work together with the team to look deeply at the goals we make and supports we provide to teach each child better.
As I think of my own work in this regard, I can see promise in the following changes:
- More detailed and specific scheduling. Our service-delivery map is truly a web of multiple connections and efforts. This web-like schedule takes very careful attention at the start of the year and thanks to the leadership of our special education department, we will give that scheduling good attention next September.
- More scaffolded, targeted, and meaningful classwork and homework. I worked hard at this last year, but have come up with many ways to better this in the year ahead. The betterment, in part, came from a year of assessment that included student/colleague observations/commentary. Next year the standards-based activities will be more scaffolded, meaningful, and targeted. The homework will also be better with more targeted, reflective, and efficient homework.
- More targeted and efficient communication.
- A more streamlined and effective room set-up where students know where everything is and have ready access to almost all teaching/learning materials.
- Continued opportunity for extra help. I will assess when those opportunities will occur as I learn of the school year schedule and some personal commitments too.
Though not always welcome, I will continue to speak up if I see room for positive change and effort. Some don't like this kind of interchange, however, I know it's important to speak up sooner than later when problems occur. It's easy to fix small problems, but when issues fester, it's much more difficult to dissect those issues and make better.
As I've noted before, I'm excited about the new year ahead and I'm similarly excited about ending this year on a positive note. Onward.
