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A Plan of Attack
By Peter Barnes

Reflecting on the good and not-so-good moments from last year can help you to become an even better teacher this year

The summer after my first year of teaching, I spent a lot of time reflecting on a difficult year. Painful moments kept recurring in my memory: a silent reading time interrupted by fist fighting, a food fight at the Air and Space Museum, a struggling student asking why she still couldn't read. I felt disorganized, discombobulated and discouraged. My plan for the following year was to rebuild my classroom and my teaching style in pursuit of a successful school year.

A veteran school teacher listened to my plan and offered some advice: Don't throw your first year out the window, no matter how painful the memories. Instead, focus on areas where you can make an immediate impact.

A long list of weaknesses
I made a list of successful elements of my first year: a weekly parent newsletter, an after-school tutoring program for struggling readers, a popular science unit on ecosystems. I also made a shockingly long list of weaknesses. Forcing anxiety aside, I circled two points of attack: classroom management and personal organization.

The next step was to seek help. My neighboring teacher, whose classroom was as quiet and orderly as a monastery, helped my identify strategies for keeping my classroom under control. That summer, I carefully planned the beginning of the school year.

Building on strengths
Every September since, I've built on strengths and attacked weaknesses. The list of weaknesses constantly changes and sometimes grows smaller, but it never disappears. Here are some pointers for new and veteran teachers when making resolutions.

  1. Pretend you're the principal observing your classroom. What areas would you identify as weaknesses? These are areas to attack.

  2. New projects make September exciting. Let this be the year you write a grant proposal for the science equipment you've been dreaming about!

  3. Change is always easier if you are not attempting it alone. Like workout partners at the gym, you and another teacher can push each other toward greater successes.

  4. Volunteer to start a faculty book discussion group, attend a conference or share ideas at a staff development workshop. Your school will be grateful and your year will be memorable. Have a great one!

Peter Barnes teaches fifth grade at Rawls Byrd Elementary in Williamsburg, VA.

August/September 2003, Vol.34, No.1