Making a Commitment to Deepening and Bettering Teaching

Some might say if I spent less time blogging, I'd have more time for deepening the teaching and learning, but others know that the reflective practice of blogging is a stepladder to the well of better teaching and learning. To blog is to think deeply about what we do and to reach out to others to share that thinking, questioning, and will to be better.

• As I think about my commitment to deepening and bettering teaching and learning in my midst, I am defining that pursuit with greater detail. To deepen and better the learning and teaching in my arena will require the following actions:
• Greater learning, thinking, study, and implementation of new ideas in the area of math, science, and SEL in the classroom. 
• Advocating for a revised and better schedule in 2019-2020. We have a good schedule, but I think it can be even better.
• Reviewing the supports available and thinking about how those supports could better support the teaching/learning program, students, and me.
• Continued efforts to better organize and make accessible all the teaching/learning tools that exist for this work.

Deepening and bettering your craft is a day-by-day affair, one in which you attend to the efforts above daily to make the time to better the work you do for the students you serve.

Specifically my efforts will include the following:

• Reading Timeless Learning, Fish, and Routines for Reasoning
• Attending to the details of daily lessons and embedding quality activities, materials, and content that matches my research, the standards, and knowledge of good teaching and learning. 
• Making this quest the mainstay of my time at work and hours after work dedicated to my craft.
• Attending ATMIM spring conference and potentially presenting at that conference.
• Possibly taking a related summer course that specifically helps me to deepen and better my work in these areas.
• Working with colleagues on a weekly basis in this regard. 

Onward.