Happy summer everyone! This is Karla from CMajorLearning. I, like many of you just ended the school year last week, and what a year it was! I recently came across this posting on Facebook that made my day! This is probably one of my favorite things about being on summer break!
So, as the school year comes to a close, we are all very busy finishing up grades, packing up rooms, finalizing paperwork and saying goodbyes. But don't forget one of the most important professional development opportunities you can do - self reflection!
As teachers, we have the freedom to celebrate and keep what worked in our teaching, learn from our mistakes, toss out the ugly and create/develop/implement new ideas come the start of the school year! Not many other professions have these wonderful opportunities each and every year!
So, with that in mind, I encourage each of you to take some time (it could be 10 minutes, a couple of hours or even a day) to really think about the following questions. Write down your thoughts NOW while it is still fresh in your mind and you don't forget!
1. Ask yourself if you achieved your goals for this past school year? Why or why not?
2. What was your biggest success? Failure?
3. What needs a total overhaul in your teaching? Revamped with slight changes? Will keep just as
you did it?
4. Did you enjoy yourself this school year? If so, what did you enjoy most? If not, what was hard
for you? Can it be changed for next year?
5. Did you integrate new technologies this year? Did they make your job easier? More enjoyable
for the students? Keep the students better engaged? Was the new technology for the purpose of
just adding technology for technology sake or did the technology take the learning to a new level?
6. If you are still working with students, ask them what worked for them? What stood out to them,
both what they liked and what they did not like.
7. Is there some professional development that you need more of? Want more of? If so, where can
you find it? If not, that is ok too, sometimes we are PD'd out during the school year and just need
time to REFLECT!!!
Again - don't forget to write down these reflections in some way. Why? Because when you can look back you will see the changes you have made, the growth in your teaching and feel that sense of accomplishment that only teachers really get.
I wish you all a terrific summer - doing whatever comes your way! Be it time with family, trips to exotic (or not so exotic) locations, classes for further study or a stay-cation - it is all well deserved and needed in order to start the process of what we call 'the school year' again come August!
Have a great summer!
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