This year has not yet finished but I am already thinking about what I want to achieve in my classroom next academic year. This year I wasn't in the classroom and I missed it dearly. I was in a leadership position dealing with many administrative tasks (not great), curriculum development (better) and teacher development (interesting). As Head of Primary I collaboratively planned alongside the PYP coordinator with all year groups and we navigated the rough waters of teachers having to change from a traditional model of education to the PYP. Some teachers had an easier time than others, but trying to explain the PYP planner, or the 3D concept model, appropriate summative assessment tasks in a variety of different ways, ensured that my own understanding of the ins and outs of the PYP were deepening. Now all I needed was to implement a lot of what I had learnt into the classroom. Next year I will be doing just that.
There are a few things I want to focus on next year and I will write about them as I tackle them:
and I am sure there are many more! What are you focusing on next year?
There are a few things I want to focus on next year and I will write about them as I tackle them:
- include the students in the organisation and set up of the classroom
- teach financial management
- teach the Daily 5 as part of the Language Arts program
- include service as part of day to day expectations
- promote action as part of day to day expectations
- integration of ICT in the classroom
- set up a makerspace
- Creating meaningful and engaging at a personal level, summative assessments
- Teach through conceptual lenses
- Use the PYP planner for Language Arts and Mathematics stand alone sessions
- Encourage collaboration and leadership (in and out of the classroom)
- Continue my own professional development (learn Italian, gain a deeper understanding of concept based learning, make time to read - see #pypbookstudy on twitter and PYP book study group on Facebook)
and I am sure there are many more! What are you focusing on next year?