Setting My Teacher Goals for a New Year

Like many teachers right now, I am participating in teacher development conferences. I optimistically try to take away tangible goals to apply in my classroom for the upcoming school year.

A question asked at a session I attended is still on my mind.

How do your give students a sense of progress in your content area?

This is a big question that I have tackled so far in just a small way.

I currently implement what I call a “TIL” which stands for “Today I Learned”. It is easy enough. I have students write their TIL on the bottom of their notes at the end of the class. I do my best to have my students do this every day.

Since I already have this TIL system in place, I am contemplating adding to it a “PIM” – Progress I’ve Made – for students to reflect on how they’ve grown. I can have them do both a TIL and a PIM in a day or alternate between the two.

I also have much bigger goals involving standards based grading and project based learning. I’m making progress towards putting these goals – and other goals – into an implementable form in my classroom.

What are your goals for the upcoming (or already started) school year?

My challenge to myself and to you is below.

We can do this.