Goals do count as we have written about them previously in this blog. Goal setting is one of the many important aspects of leadership. Since I have addressed this in that blog, I want to merely list some of the goals I have set for me to accomplish this year with my students and staff.
1. I have set a goal to teach the basic phonics elements that make up the English language to my struggling intermediate students so that they may see themselves become efficient readers who learn to love reading. I have been seeing improvement in their skills weekly. Good for them accepting my challenge.
2. I set a goal to help my struggling spellers, especially those who have dyslexia, to be able to pass their spelling tests weekly and retain what they have learned. We reached this goal for the first time two weeks ago! How exciting it was to see every student in that class able to pass their tests! We were able to celebrate that accomplishment together!
3. I set a goal to use our A.B.R.A.I.N. math curriculum (AMI – Academy for Math Intelligence) to make our students “smarter than the average bear” by teaching whole concepts which lead our 5th/6th grade students to an 8th grade level of math skills by year’s end. They were as shocked as I was to see that none of the 50 states’ 8th grade students’ math proficiency average scores were even up to 50%. This was published in the new Scholastic Atlas. So far, our students are cooperative and eager to learn the skills.
4. I have set a goal to teach our students about music and art which has stood the test of time. There are reasons that art and music masterpieces have earned that reputation. When a culture no longer knows its history or reviews it, that culture will soon disappear. We are already seeing school band programs dwindle down to a dozen students or so rather than scores of musicians. There are fewer people learning to play music these days…preferring to just listen to paid entertainers. Since we have research which shows a direct link between making music and increased scores in math and science, this music goal is even more needed than ever!
5. I have set a goal to practice, model and teach basic manners to our students. Our society has become very lax about “leaving a place clean like you found it” when they leave. Putting others first is also a lost skill. Perhaps it is still possible to overcome the “me first” attitude which seems so prevalent today. And not least of all, applying the old saying, “if you can’t say something good, don’t say anything at all.” Today, everyone seems to think they have the right to judge and criticize others with no boundaries of any kind.
6. I hope to reach the goal of having all the “lost and found” coats, scarves, hats, gloves, shoes, socks, water bottles, and lunch boxes claimed by their owners daily. Along with this, I have a goal that soon all students, teachers, and parents will start marking names in and on the items mentioned so that owners can be located quickly and reunited with said items! That would be heaven to me!!
Kay