Changing It Up

Welcome back from break!

Sorta.

I guess.

I know we could all use some extra sleep.

Still.

Regardless, it is time for me to start teaching again. With my freshmen and sophomores, I'm teaching material that I have taught for the past two years. I know the text like the back of my hand. I have lessons that I know are successful and assignments that I know ensure the students are reading. I should be all set to go.

So why did I decide to change part of one unit and completely redo another?

Because I'm crazy.

No really. Teaching the same thing the same way year after year causes me to get bored and go slightly crazy. I wouldn't be able to put up with that.

I not only do it for my sake but I also do it for my student's.

Teaching the same material year after year is okay. Teaching it the same way is not.

By teaching the same way you're assumimg that every year you'll have the same group of students who learn the same way. Any time spent in the classroom will tell you this isn't true. My first year, my freshmen were pretty good writers but struggled with analysis.  The next year they struggled with both. This caused me to have to change how I taught some things. I had to mold to them.

Yes, I do reuse some things if I can. It does save me time and energy. But, I can't expect to keep everything exactly the same each year. That assumes everyone is the same.

As the teacher, it is my job to mold to the students. Its not their job to mold to me.

Ps..... I'll have part 3 of 4 dealing with PISA will be done this week. Just have to get back into the swing of things.