Summer Plans

I like posting these "what I am going to do this summer" posts to keep me accountable.  Plus, I like to read about what other teachers are doing with their summers.  I, of course, have a physical to do list as well.

I'm proud to say that I've already accomplished some things that were on my do list, such as:

• Updating my Geometry scope and sequence.  I did the same for my General Geometry scope and sequence.
• This year I learned a little more about how to budget my time effectively.  I read other math teacher blogs where they ran out of time to teach everything.  I had the opposite problem.  I had a month and a half to review this year.  This means I can teach some topics better and not have to worry about spending too much time on a topic.  I picked out the topics that are more important for student success in the course, and created/found activities for them to help students learn them more thoroughly.  I did the same for General Geometry.  I really want my General Geometry class to be more activities and less worksheets in general.
• I put together a "Handbook" for the Math Team and the Prom Dress Drive that I run each year.  Both of these "duties" were handed to me with varying degrees of verbal direction.  I had to ask many questions to perform my duties for both of these endeavors, so I decided to write everything down.  Now I have (almost) everything I need to know for both, and something to pass on to the person that takes over these duties after me.
• Next year I am teaching SAT Prep for the first time ever.  So far I have a rough scope and sequence done.

The following are things that are "In Progress":

• I am reformatting the notes for General Geometry.  Last year we did Interactive Notebooks, and it really didn't suit the students in the course.  Since they are not "moving on" in math, they have no interest in putting together and keeping a notebook.  I'm reformatting the notes into guided note sheets.  This year I am going to have these students keep a binder so they can still learn basic organization skills.
• As mentioned above, I am going to keep working on my SAT Prep course scope and sequence.
• I am going to finish my SAT Prep syllabus.  I started it during the last few days of school.  I'm still not sure about how I am going assign work for this class.  Will projects work?  Should there be homework?  How often should I quiz?  Etc.  (I completed and copied my syllabi for Geometry and General Geometry before the school year ended.  Yay me!)
• I am planning on making some new posters for my classroom.  I will post about those when I make them.  This is one of those things that I could do at any time.
• I always save blog posts with ideas that I like.  I want to start keeping the ideas in a notebook.  It will give me time to plan to use them and to reflect on how the ideas will work in my classroom.
• I am going to make a professional development log to keep track of my hours.  (In order to maintain certification in New York state, we must complete 100 hours of professional development every 5 years - which is an improvement over the 175 hours that were previously required.  My school will keep track, but I really need to keep track of all of the extra webinars I do outside of school.)
• I am trying to read 3 books before summer ends:  "Classroom Chef", "Mathematical Mindsets", and "Designing Groupwork".  Right now I am in the middle of Classroom Chef.
• In August, when I go in to school for the August Regents Review, I will put together a new absent work board.  I am also thinking about re-doing my homework board.  (Just because it's in mixed patterns, and I want to unify it a bit more.)

I have been working on things for next year since early in June.  I am so determined to get the bulk of my summer work done as soon as possible because my husband and I are in the process of buying a house.  I know that once we close, all of our time will be devoted to settling in, and I will have very little time for school work.  I am basically expecting moving in to take up most of August because I'm the type of person that will want everything set up perfectly right away.  I am praying that we close before the end of July.  I feel that getting everything done now is essential to maintaining my sanity.