Day 27 | What role do weekends and holidays play in your teaching?
Well that's a loaded question...a combination of recovery from the week prior and preparation for the week upcoming.
The biggest role currently is that of playing catch-up with some grading. I try to get to it during the week, but often am trying to get ready for the next day's material or possibly tweaking the lesson from that day. I try to look back and see if there were some hazy portions of the material that I somehow need to go back and reteach about. This is a big reason why I'd like to make the switch to standards-based grading, not b/c the grading would necessarily be easier, but because students aren't focused on the "points" so much. I feel pressured to get points in the grade book to appease students and parents and I just don't like it. Where's the meaning in that?
I try to get a rough sketch in my mind for where I want to go with my classes for the week as well. I say rough, because, well look in the previous paragraph. As much as I try to get a little ahead, it often doesn't happen. Life gets in the way and there are only so many hours in the day. I'm quite sure most of us (teachers) say the same thing - there is just never enough time.
What role do I really want to see my weekends and holidays play? Now that I'm back teaching the curriculum I started with 12 years ago, and admittedly enjoy the most, I'm hoping to get somewhat of a "base" down this year. Then next year, my weekends and holidays can be spent doing much more true reflection from the past week's work. That more meaningful reflection can then help reshape what the upcoming week will look like.
A lofty goal? I hope not.
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