Goal Setting

Setting goals is an important life skill that I think is lacking in the classrooms. Most goals that are set in the classroom are set by the teacher. I think we need to give kids more ownership of their goals. If the students have a say in their goal, aren't they more likely to work to achieve it? Won't the making the goal be all the more meaningful to them if they had a say in the goal and how they achieve it. I think that one of my goals for this year is to give my students more of a say in setting their goals and how they will achieve them. I also want to set some goals of my own in the classroom and model for my students how I meet the goals I set for myself.

Me...for a Change

I decided to focus on me a bit more for the month of June. I want to ensure that I am continuing to grow and change as a teacher. This blog is a part of that growth and change. I have decided that I am going to blog every day. The posts don't have to be long or deep. I just need to get in the practice of daily writing. I advocate it with my students. I need to walk the walk myself. I have also decided that I am going to walk around my neighborhood on a daily basis...in sunshine, rain, or even snow (but as warm and muggy as it was today...I'm pretty sure that I don't need to worry about that snow keeping me from the computer.  In addition, I am participating in the #edugood project again. My goal is to take and post a photo every day for the month of June. For this project, I am posting my photos on Instagram (you can find them through the #edugood or on my Instagram (@jhox1). Those are all daily activities and so far, so good. I am 2 for 2! For the next 4 weeks, I also plan to learn a new skill or concept that I can use in my classroom. This can be through a book, a video, or online webinar. The point is the month of June is all about me...changing my mind, body, and soul... for good.

Summer School

Tomorrow I start four weeks of teaching an enrichment class for summer school called "Computers Don't Byte". I always look forward to this time of year because we (my summer students and I) can just be learners and have fun doing it. It is not just 4 hours a day of just playing computer games. That would be boring for both me and the kids! Even though it is summer, I am still a teacher and I want these 26 first and second grade kids to learn some things about using computers while we do projects. Even though these kids are young, they always amaze me with what they absorb, create, and what they end up teaching me.

**If you have an idea for a project we can create with computers, please feel free to share. I am always looking for new ideas!