Right, quick recap/introduction before we move on. I'm a Geography teacher at a school in South Yorkshire (hence blog title), a Masters student at the University of Manchester and a Teach First Ambassador. Hello :)
I've been racking my brains for an opening entry for my blog revival and I thought I would share my goals for the coming academic year. The reasons being; it's useful for me to articulate these, and I feel I'll be held to account on my progress towards achieving them.
So, here goes, my goals for the coming year are:
1. To celebrate successes - As educators, we can often be guilty of focusing on the negatives and ignoring the many positives around us. This year I want to make sure I celebrate the successes of staff and students alike. The need to feel appreciated is human nature and is so important to show we care.
2. To engage with the teaching community - As a profession, we can sometimes forget about the exceptional practice going on around us, this year I want to root out where that's happening and get involved. This could be within my department, my school or through the networks I have built in the last 2 years and even you, let me know what's happening. Sharing is caring!
3. To complete my Masters - I've really loved being a part of the University of Manchester and the SEED department (School of Environment, Education and Development) this year, working towards my Masters in Educational Leadership. I've learnt so much about great leadership and broadened my wider understanding of the factors that influence education and a child's experience of it (I'm sure I'll do some blogging on this). This year I will be planning and writing my dissertation, 15,000 words! Wish me luck!
4. Not to lose sight of the kids - I'm moving into a new school and, whilst I'm really excited to make the change, it will bring new pressures and challenges. No matter what, I've got to keep the students at the heart of all the work I do. It sounds simple, but it's important to ensure my focus is always on students - creating positive learning experiences and supporting them to achieve the best they can.
5. Have a growth mindset - This is a really important personal goal. As an avid fan of the work of Carol Dweck (I'll blog on this!) and the increasing prevalence of 'mindset' in education, I want to make this a central part of my work. A growth mindset is fundamentally underpinned by the belief that intelligence can be developed and that this is directly related to effort.This is something I emphasize constantly with my students and I intend to practice what I preach.
Image courtesy of: http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset/
I hope you'll follow/share/laugh at this blog as I start to find my feet again. If you're a teacher, keep enjoying the summer holidays, if not, sorry... but we've earned this!
