Currently and setting August Goals

Wow.  I can't believe it is suddenly August.  Part of me says yeah it is about time to head back to school while the other part is hollering "Are you crazy? You have so many things to do yet!"  Guess the two parts are just going to have to compromise. LOL
Well, since it is August that means it's time to link up with Farely at Oh Boy Fourth Grade for the monthly Currently party and Jesse at I {Heart} Recess for the new months goals.  I love these two link ups.  The Currently posts are great to see what everyone is up to-it's funny how many things we bloggers all have in common.  I really liked linking up with Jesse last month for the Goals..it kept me honest and gave me more focus to get those goals accomplished since I'd actually written something down and shared it with the world (What was I thinking?!?) No really it was all good.

Without further ado, here they are:

 I think these are pretty self explanatory, so I'm going to leave it at that.  My book is really calling my name and it is not a professional book hehehe.  My dining room table has been my "office" this summer so everything I've been working on for school is ALL over it.  It's a good thing we have a small table in the kitchen or there wouldn't have been places to sit down and eat.

Personal:  The kids' schedules keep me running and I tend to get a bit obsessive about school, so I don't often take time just for me.  I want to be better about that this year and strike a better balance.  How do you all do it balance work, family and personal time?

Organization:  I love how my room looks at the start of the year all fresh and tidy, everything in its place.  Unfortunately when I'm in the thick of planning and teaching I don't always put things back where they belong in a timely manner, so this year I am making a standing appointment each week to file and put things away that have accumulated that week.

Professional:  I am team-teaching with our grade level resource teacher this year.  I am really hoping we can plan things out better this year to mesh our teaching and lessons better than we did last year.

Students:  I love making those personal connections with students.  They really respond and give you all they have plus some when you know and understand them as more than the little person in the classroom.

Motto: "Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he is born in another time." I've really been doing a lot of thinking about how kids learn and respond to education today.  It is so different from when I was a fourth grader. I honestly think how kids learn has changed in the past 20 years I've been teaching.  It isn't enough to teach the way we were taught as educators we need to rise to the challenge and find ways to engage our students' minds and foster their learning in a ways that works for them.

Ok, that's it for me.  Now it's your turn.  Be sure to head over to check out the other goals and currentlys going on.  Here's to enjoying the last days of summer!