Next Year, I am Definitely going to....

I am linking up with Kim @ Finding Joy in 6th Grade, to begin thinking towards what I DEFINITELY want to do next school year.  Therefore, here it is. 

Next school year, I am DEFINITELY going to....

I am oh-so unorganized.  I don't mean to be, but I just am.  I have the crates, folders, tubs, bins, labels, and everything else I could possibly need in order to organize all my "stuff", but regardless to my great intentions, it just doesn't happen.  This is one major priority of the summer.  Organize myself and my "stuff".  A great place to start would be creating myself a teacher toolbox, like Kristen on Ladybug's Teacher Files, check it out.

Though the two subjects I teach are easily integrated, it is most definitely more difficult to do if that integration is not planned out.  My hope is to use social studies units to 'drive' my classroom, while the language arts tasks support the content and discussion.  In order to do this, I need detailed plans - ones that students will love learning, and I love teaching.

Along with the plans I want to build, one aspect will be students using interactive notebooks.  I have spent the last 8-9 months researching, learning, and processing how to use interactive notebooks within my classroom.  This tool will be used as a resource.  Essentially, it is a student-built textbook.  Interactive Notebooks allow students to make connections between the instruction and application.

One step in becoming a Leader in Me School is introducing and using Data Notebooks.  The purpose of Data Notebooks is that students set goals for themselves: personally and academically.  Students also track (graph) their own data.  This allows students to take ownership and leadership of their own data.  This encourages them to be leaders of their learning.

More on this later, but our school is in the process of developing a Leader System.  Ultimately, we hope to create men and women of character, as well as teach students to become leaders within their school, home, and community.