Miller Monday Memo
January 9
January Reboot
Monica Fuglei (U of Nebraska) has a few tips for us as we begin a new year as teachers...
Start note-taking for next year
If you don’t already keep a teaching journal, now is the time to start. After each day’s lessons, take a few minutes to reflect on what worked, what did not work and why. If students had unusual or surprising questions, record them as well.
These notes will be essential in creating next year’s lesson plans. Even if you don’t plan to teach the course in the following school year, keeping such notes is an ideal way to record the work you do as an instructor and ensure your best lessons are not lost to time.
Set professional development goals
Teaching is a dynamic career that requires professional development and continuing education. While some professional development is institutionally driven, you owe it to yourself to look outside of school to pursue personal research, continuing education and participation in professional organizations.
Sit down in January and consider your personal goals, including short-, medium- and long-term achievements. If concurrent enrollment or a part-time professorship are among the goals, consider finding continuing education opportunities that align with your immediate licensing requirements and long-term priorities.
While they may not count toward credit for professional development, finding online communities or connections through social media and Tweetchats can provide ideas and support, often making curriculum and assignment development easier. Consider broadening your professional connections to your short-, medium- or long-range goals.
Strive for more balance
One of the biggest issues of the teaching profession is maintaining work-life balance.This is key to maintaining a long and healthy career. During your note-taking and professional development goal-making, consider also setting healthy limits to your at-home grading and planning time, and brainstorm ways to make teaching a more manageable career.
A short writing assignment can be as challenging or more so than a long one, and answering one or two questions for thoughtfully created student homework still requires students to engage content outside of the classroom in a meaningful way — but both reduce grading workload.
Whatever habits you strive to set, January is a perfect time to examine practices, both student and personal, and adopt some school New Year’s resolutions. Despite being in the middle of a school year, the long break and new calendar year provide the perfect time for a reboot.
Jenny
2nd Grade
Week at a Glance
Mon -
College Week - Warm Up to a Great Future (wear warmups)
Tues -
Team Planning Day
R-time
3:00 SBIC Meeting
College Week - Relax, You Got This (wear PJs, slippers)
Wed -
Principal Meeting - Jen/Maria out most of the day
3:00 TL Meeting
College Week - Top Off Your Future (wear hats)
Thur -
Miller Spelling Bee
College Week - My Dream Career Is.... (dress as your career)
Fri -
Miller Spirit Wear with jeans
Watch DOGS on campus
College Week - College Fits Me to a "T" (wear Tshirt or colors of favorite college)
Jan 9-27 TPRI kinder-2nd grade
Jan 13 Due date to enter Plano Literacy into Edugence grades 3-5
Jan 16 Student/Teacher Holiday
Jan 18 Staff Meeting, PDH
Duty Roster
Gym Duty (7:00 – 7:35) Cindy, Amanda, Kierstin
Gym Duty (7:15 – 7:35) Jenny
Bus/Gym/Art Room (7:10 – 7:35) Jill
Breakfast (7:15 – 7:45)
M, T, W, F Beth
Thurs DD
Crosswalk (7:25 – 7:45) Ha
Front Hall (7:30 – 7:45) Melissa
Sidewalk (7:25 – 7:45) Brit
Announcements (7:35 – 7:50) Lisa Smith, Melissa
SPED Arrival - Kia, Lisa Schmidt
HW Club (2:45 – 3:30)
Sally, Steph, Heather, Lisa Schmidt
Crosswalk (2:45 – 3:00) BSC
Walkie (2:45 – 3:00) BSC
Kinder Dismissal (2:45 - 3:00)
M, T, Th, F Kia
Wed Steph
Carpool (2:45-3:00)
Mon Kara, Brit, Heather, Ha
Tue Steph, Marla, Kara, Ha
Wed Jenny, Brit, Sally, Beth
Thurs Kara, DD, Jenny, Sally
Fri Sally, Heather, Melissa, Steph