When you look at how much things have changed on my blog and website, you think, well I guess things change very little from year to year in Mrs. Phippen's class, and yet, I re-think EVERY LESSON, every time I teach it. I re-think my lesson plans, my units, my disclosure documents, and I re-think the structure of everything I do from the ground up, every year. I think that's how I keep my job fresh every year. I also think that's why I love my job so much.
Every year, it's brand new for me. The students aren't the only NEW thing for me, the material is brand new and fresh for me. It's percolated brand new, from scratch, every year. I throw it all out, look at it again, and decide "Is this PERFECT?" Is this JUST what works? Is this the very best thing I have to teach this, or could I find something better? If something isn't the best thing, I don't use it. Sometimes, I'll devise something better from first period to fourth period and my periods won't all have the same assignments. I reserve the right to get better as the day gets long. I think that's the benefit of improvement.
My newest restructure is the kindle. One of these days I'm going to go 3G. My mom gave my the non-3G, which works great... in my bedroom. If I wander away from my bed, no wireless. Why do I not get wireless reception in my kitchen?? God only knows. It's only of those Cosmic Mysteries. I often get hit-or-miss reception on my front porch. I do know that it will change the way people read, and it will change the way I teach kids to choose books because choosing a book by the front cover in *black & white* is not nearly the same as choosing from Amazon.com in color. Yeah. Color makes a HUGE difference when choosing a book.
Anyway, my reading unit is being rethought, and rethought, and it's my baby. I know it's thing thing I do best, and I teach writing through reading. So... because I am an integrated teaching, all that I do is being rethought. This is my favorite time of year. I love the thinking about how to get things done and the set-up of how to get there. :o)
