30-Day Challenge | Day 1

Day 1 | Write your goals for the school year.  Be as specific or abstract as you'd like to be!

I happened to see a message on Twitter from one colleague to another regarding the 30-Day Blogging Challenge to Teachers a couple of days ago.  The idea of blogging has always intrigued me and I have yet to actually post anything.  I figured, why not? So here goes...I often joke with my students that I need a secretary for my head to keep all of my thoughts organized.  Maybe this will help.  :)

After 7 years, I am finally back teaching Social Studies full time.  I left my first teaching position after four years and, if I wasn't crying, I was trying not to.  I had built some incredible relationships with colleagues through teaching and coaching and grew to love many students.  It was incredibly difficult to look at them and tell them I wouldn't be back the next year.  As hard as it was, I don't regret the decision.  I've built equally incredible relationships with colleagues and students where I am now.  I can only hope that continues.

I love social studies, especially world history.  I have always been amazed and excited at how connected history is.  I want my students to be able to see that through what we do in class.  While it may be a lofty one, that is my first goal, to find a way to make history come alive for my students.  When I taught history 7 years ago, we did the typical notes, some group work here-and-there and maybe a project or two, then tested.  I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but I want more for my students.  Quite frankly for myself too! The amount of technology available to use in the classroom boggles my mind.  I want my students to be able to take advantage of this as much as possible.  I don't want them just using technology for the sake of saying we used it; I want them to create something with it and know how to take full advantage of whatever it is.

My second goal is to incorporate more of a PBL approach to our learning.  PBL (problem based learning) has been of interest to me the last couple of years and something I think works well with history.  

My last goal is to make better use of learning targets and rubrics.  I think this will help students make a deeper connection with what we are doing in class and why.

From a PD side: Going along with the PBL theme, learn more about the PBL process so I can make it more meaningful for my students.  I also want to become better versed in the Common Core Literacy Standards as they apply to the Social Studies.  These standards weren't in place last time I taught this subject matter and the history standards have changed as well.  I jumped on board with Twitter in education a year ago.  The amount of inspiring, creative ideas I have come across is overwhelming, but exciting.  I need to set aside an hour a week (at least) to go through Favorites I've marked so I don't lose all of these cool things I've found!

Day 1 complete.