Seriously? Maybe not every little thing, but looking back I can see daily examples of things I can do better next time:
- As the students write their final papers I realize I was not enough of an Editor. They are still writing such simple, poor, incoherent sentences! Maybe I let the focus be on too much self- and peer-editing, so the blind led the blind? I think I could have been tougher, more insistent on writing a quality sentence.
- (Part of this was due to them taaaaaaaaaking soooooooooo looooooooong to write! Our first research paper my first month took a week for the outline and two weeks for the rough draft, some kids never did finish, and overall final results were disappointing. Maybe I expected them to write too much? Maybe/obviously they were not accustomed to writing more than a paragraph?)
- Talk less. Less words, and slower. In my zeal to get the lesson out I talk to quick sometimes, especially when giving examples. Got to let 'em soak it in. My class was behind the other 5th grade classes from my 1st week, and it took me a bit to realize it's not a race or competition, especially with veteran teachers who know the material inside and out.
- Find more time to let students talk to me. Especially the ones struggling with behavior and/or lessons. Hear their ideas how to solve situation, and may hear underlying issues. Or sometimes they just want to talk.
