As the new year approaches, I find this to be a great time for new teachers to look back on their first months of teaching. Take a good, honest look at your management, your lesson planning, your presence. Now is the time for goal-setting. Build on your successes and work on the areas where you find yourself struggling... When we start the New Year, we have the best of intentions to follow through on rather lofty goals and resolutions. Goal setting in and of itself is not difficult at all. Follow through on resolutions normally falls off after about a month or so-with this strategy- you won't become a "resolution statistic."I came across this great nugget of info from Suzanne Lieurance, from the Working Writer's Coaching Program.
S.M.A.R.T. STRATEGY
S=Specific. Make your goal as specific as possible. For example, " I want to develop a curriculum map. I want to develop a workable management plan for student XYZ. I want to develop a Friday letter for my parents to let them know their students' weekly progress regarding behavior and academic achievements."
M=Measurable. Can your goal be measured? Is it actually attainable given the time you have allotted to achieve it?
A=Attainable. Is it truly attainable? Are there other things that need to be in place for this goal to be attained?
R=Realistic. Is your goal realistic? Be honest with yourself on this one.
T=Timely. Do you have a time frame attached to it? Is it feasible?
-----------------
Will you remember these goals on that morning when you missed your coffee, started with a poor meeting and are just not feeling up to the challenges of the day? Maybe not. Write them down! Sticky notes here and there will be great reminders. Take some time out each morning before your students come in to re-read your goals. They will become your mantra.
You can do it! (Make THAT one of your goals.) You have made it through the hardest part of your first year. I am proud of you all. Keep up the good work and happy teaching!
-Katie
