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How Will You Kick Off the New School Year?
It's always exciting this time of year to welcome back students, to see how much they've grown, to see if their attitudes have "grown," and to hear about their summer. This time of year can also be hectic, too, as we all know, yet how we talk to students can set the tone for the rest of the year. What are you going to do to get your students excited about the 2010-2011 school year?
I like to have my students start off the year by writing a personal mission statement that includes their hopes for the year. The form I use asks them to list their strengths, their weaknesses, their likes, their dislikes, and their dreams. I ask them to set high goals for themselves.
Sound like a lot for our students? Well, I can tell you that when I point out that famous athletes such as Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan have written personal mission statements, the room gets very quiet and every pencil is busy. Even the students who publicly proclaiim that "this assignment is stupid" have something to say about what they want their lives to look like and how they want things to turn out during the coming school year.
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WELCOME BACK!
Watching the students write inspires me to set high goals for myself as well. Some of my goals include having my lessson plans written out 3 weeks in advance (of course I'll still have to adjust them), continuing to look for new and better ways to teach writing, and helping students understand the real-world applications of algebra.
What are your dreams and goals for this year? What do you hope to achieve? To learn? Remember, every year is a new beginning, for all of us. And don't forget, SEAKC is here to help!
Here's hoping that this school year is one of your best ever!
--Laura Machuca, Webmaster
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