This Teacher's New Year's Resolutions 2013

I had planned to write this before now, but I have had the flu. Spending valuable school holidays being sick is the ultimate in cruelty of the universe. I have to use every single one of my days off to rebuild the courage and positive energy necessary to return to class on Monday. If I am forced to be sick during those days, it further depletes my energy stores. I do not usually get the flu. I am one of those fools who believes she does not ever need a flu shot. Never even think about it. But our darling little grandson is in kindergarten this year, and he brought it to us for Christmas. Then on the Today Show this morning, I find out that it's an especially bad flu season this year. Isn't that just great?

So now I look ahead at 2013 and ponder what it is that I would like to accomplish. What would I like to see happen? Well, this is an unusual year for me since I'm quitting my job in May. My resolutions are shorter term in nature than usual. They are like what can I do to make the next few months the least bit more tolerable? So here they are:

1. Keep up the happy teacher facade during class. Just so my two worst classes will not try to take credit for making me quit. Always makes me furious when students brag about a certain teacher they "ran off". Plus these little darlings can be quite trying at times, but they are rarely ever the reason teachers leave. We leave because the structure of public school operating alongside parents who threaten to sue at the drop of a hat makes us either quit or, even worse, keep teaching and no longer caring.

2. Take up singing or humming in the classroom. I get so tired of hearing inappropriate language from the students. Before the tardy bell rings and during transitions, they talk to each other. They talk loud enough for anyone around them to hear them. When I call them out for their language, they get defensive. Have you ever tried to prove that someone said something in a room full of people talking? Since you have to pick the fights you can win, this is one I try to ignore. I believe that if I'm humming or singing, it will be much more pleasant for me. Since I cannot carry a tune in a bag, it will not be pleasant for the students. Bonus!

3. Avoid impromptu visits in the halls with administrators. These visits were something I have always loved to do. Before the students arrived or during my conference, running into one of them and asking for their advice or permission to do something was one way I could get immediate feedback on my ideas. But this has changed. Now it always ends with them repeating the same old standardized testing jargon and buzz words. If they do care about real classroom learning, you would never know by listening to them talk. So I will resort to following advice I was given by a veteran teacher a long time ago, "It is easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission." Ain't it true?

4. Use my resources as they are. Normally, I get my resources and materials out, then find something I want to use, but find things wrong with it. So I have to edit it, or update it, or recreate it from scratch. I vow not to spend hours and hours every week doing this. I will give the students the resources the way I find them, no matter what. I have heard people say that the kids will not care whether their materials are perfect or not. I never wanted to believe it, but I guess we will find out.

5. Avoid the copy room during school hours. For years I have been using copiers that jam at least a couple of times during any copy job. Unjamming them is no easy feat. These things are sophisticated computers that give you instructions on how to unjam them, and if you do not follow them exactly, it will not unjam, and you will not get your copies made, and you will get furious. We are instructed not to leave our paper jams for other people to fix. So we are pressured to get it done even though it may take half an hour or more. When the bell rings, we have to get to class. That is not optional. So sometimes we have to leave our jams for others to find. So I will vow to only make copies late in the afternoon after everyone has gone home, or on weekends. Sometime when hours stretch out in front of me with no immediate plans. That should work. There's nothing more fulfilling than spending your weekends in the copy room!

Alrighty then, that should get me started on my path to a less stressed new year. Wish me luck!