Learning Attitude

What if all students approached school and class challenges like yoga. Your teacher shows you something difficult, and then you try it and don't get it the first time, but you take a deep breath and every subsequent time you try it you get closer and closer and MAYBE eventually you get it, but you are persistent and don't get (too) frustrated and know the struggle is in itself a learning experience because it teaches you a wee bit something new about the situation, and eventually you can meld all the pieces together to figure the whole thing out.

Okay, I'm looking skyward for those flying piggies.

Next year's (lofty) goals:
1. more differentiated MATH instruction for the weakest to the super strong
2. stay more on top of students who are struggling in calculus and don't let the year slip away with them being totally clueless
3. a stricter late work policy and homework policy (now I just check for "mostly" done. I want to check for "all" attempted and no fakers)
4. create a parent e-mail group and send out a mass mailing about upcoming tests/projects/...
5. have students keep track of their own grades (and that will be for a grade) ... maybe have their parents sign off on it periodically (ownership of their learning)
6. incorporate "some" games into the learning (saw some cool precal ones at an AP Central / college board workshop that I want to try)
7. more: chocolate / movies / laughing / crocs / visits with friends / sleep