New Years Resolutions for Teachers

New Year's Resolutions for Teachers As elementary school teachers, we are always striving to improve. Whether our goal is to make our lessons more engaging ​or to get to know our students on a higher level, we are always trying to take our teaching to the next level. The new year is a great time to take a closer look at how we run our classroom and to decide what we would like to improve. Self-reflection is an important part of our job, and this New Year is the perfect time to make some changes. Here are 10 New Years Resolutions for teachers to use as inspiration. 1. Get Your Classroom Organized This is usually on the top of the list for all teachers. While teachers are known for their organizational skills, teaching is a hectic job and its easy to let things get a little out of control. The best way to achieve this goal is to make a list and slowly check off each task as you complete them. Break up your goals into smaller tasks to make them easier to achieve. For example, week one, you might choose to organize all your paperwork, week two,  your desk, and so on.   2. Create a Flexible Classroom Flexible classrooms are all the rage right now, and if you havent yet incorporated this trend into your classroom, the new year is a great time to start. Begin by purchasing a few alternative seats and a bean bag chair. Then, move on to bigger items such as standing desks.   3. Go Paperless With educational technology tools, its really gotten even easier to commit to a  paperless classroom. If youre lucky enough to have access to iPads, you may even choose to have your students complete all of their work digitally. If not, visit Donorschoose.org and ask for donors to purchase them for your classroom. 4. Remember Your Passion for Teaching Sometimes the idea of a fresh new start (like the New Year) can help you remember your passion for teaching. Its easy to lose track of what initially motivated you to teach, especially when youve been at it for a long time. This new year, take some time to jot down some of the reasons why you became a teacher in the first place. Remembering your drive and passion for teaching will help you keep going. 5. Re-Think Your Teaching Style Every teacher has their own style of teaching  and what works for some may not work for others. However, the New Year may give you the opportunity to re-think the way that you teach  and to try something new that you have always wanted to try. You can start by asking yourself some questions, like Do I want a student-centered classroom? or Would I like to be more of a guide or a leader? These questions will help guide you in figuring out which teaching style you want for your classroom. 6. Get To Know Students Better Take some time in the new year to get to know your students on a more personal level. This means taking some time to get to know their passions, interests, and family outside of the classroom. The better connection that you have with each individual student, the stronger the  classroom community you can build. 7. Have Better Time Management Skills This new year, take some time to improve your time management skills. Learn to prioritize your tasks and take advantage of technology to really maximize your students learning time. Tech tools are known to keep students engaged in learning longer, so if you really want to maximize your students learning time use these tools every day.   8. Use More Tech Tools There are some great (and affordable!) educational tech tools that are on the market. This January,  make it your goal to try and utilize as many pieces of technology as you can. You can do this, by going to Donorschoose.org and creating a list of all of the items that your classroom needs along with the reasons why. Donors will read your inquiry and purchase the items for your classroom. Its that easy. 9.To Not Take Work Home with You Your goal is to not take your work home with you so that you can spend more time with your family doing things that you love. You would think that this seems like an impossible task, but by showing up for work thirty minutes early and leaving thirty minutes late, its very possible.   10. Spice Up Classroom Lesson Plans Every now and then, its fun to spice things up. This New Year,  change up your lessons and see how much fun you will have. Instead of writing everything on the chalkboard, use your interactive whiteboard. If your students are used to you always using textbooks for their lessons, turn the lesson into a game. Find a few ways to change up your normal way that you do things and you will see the spark being lit in your classroom once again.