My Goal This Year

School starts in exactly one week from tomorrow.

My room, by the way, is a complete disaster. I can't even fathom how I am going to be able to teach in my room. It sort of makes me want to drink an entire bottle of wine.

Okay, I can't lie. It absolutely DOES make me want to drink a whole bottle of wine. Which I did. Last night.

So, any how.

I have been thinking more than I probably should about what I want this school year to look like. All kinds of crazy things are floating around in my head, such as:

Using Evernote -- how, why, when?

Incorporating Project Based Learning -- where in my curriculum does it already fit naturally?

Improving upon my existing Standards-Based Learning framework -- what does it mean to really assess my students accurately?

I know. Fun, right?

And when I start thinking about this, I get even more flummoxed and want to drink even more wine. Which is a bad idea, because I

(a) only have so much money with which to purchase said wine; and
(b) only have the one liver.

So, I have completely re-thought my perspective on this year.

My goal for this year --The only one--The most important one--The only one that matters-- IS (drumroll please...)

TO HAVE FUN.

Yes, that's right. Chemistry needs to be more fun. No more boring classes. No more freaking out about Common Core or PBL or SBG or NGSS or anything else equally ridiculous.

I refuse to be that teacher. I will not gripe, whine, or complain about the state of my room, the state of the school, or the state of the government.

I am going to have some freaking fun.

I will wear costumes.

I will yell and run and be crazy and blow things up and let kids explore.

I will be a dork.

I will be excited about science and questions and let kids try to find the answers. Even if they couldn't possibly.

I will laugh and hug and share and read children's books and not give a cat's patootie about anything that is an acronym.

Because ultimately if I am having fun, the kids are more likely to be having fun, right?

And if they are having fun, they are going to be fully engaged, right?

And if they are fully engaged, they should be learning. Like, a lot. Right?

So, I will sacrifice myself for the good of the cause. And, for the record, it is much more enjoyable to lesson plan when I keep my goal at the forefront of my mind. Advanced Chemistry's review packet has already turned into "Review Karaoke-palooza" and Chemistry's first activity has gone from the painful icebreaker to the creation of an informercial from the perspective of sumo wrestlers and boy bands.

I'm pumped.

Let the fun begin.