Friday, April 22, 2016

As the year draws to a close

We're just 5 weeks from graduation and 7 weeks from the end of the year.  As such, I find myself reflecting on the progress I've made in my new role this year and the work that lies ahead of me.

Last week, @timsmccaffrey and I decided to challenge each other to write about a challenge that faces us as the school year ends.  My challenge is to lay the groundwork for next year.  I feel like I've been doing lots of things this year, but there hasn't been a clear overarching goal for my position that's specific enough to really guide my workday.  "Improve student achievement" is absolutely my goal but what are the important sub-goals that support that goal? 

Here are some of the things I've been doing this year:
- visiting classrooms
- co-teaching/model teaching
- planning with teachers
- writing sample lessons or activities
- supporting students by pushing into classes
- working in small groups with students in my office
- writing and implementing common benchmark testing for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II
- writing Bridge Projects for the state of Maryland (an alternate path for students who are unsuccessful on PARCC)
- administering PARCC (I'm at 34 sessions so far this year and counting)
- reviewing curriculum resources for potential purchase
- leading Universal Design for Learning PD for the whole staff with two other teachers
- participating in an Assessment Literacy Collaborative sponsored by the state of MD
- planning schedules for next year
- reviewing data and planning next steps
- studying formative assessment practice

So, my goal for next year is to hone this list to spend more time on the most effective things (and find ways to minimize the time-suck of the not-so-effective but still necessary things).  And my goal for the next month and a half is to prioritize these items and craft a mock schedule of how I should be spending time next year.  Streamling time! 

What's YOUR goal for the rest of the year?

Mathematically yours,
Miss B