Poems and other decisions

I had several goals today: organize my computer files, figure out Google docs, start printing stuff out, wash, vacuum, and clean my office. Only wash and vacuuming got done. Some would say that that was a productive day, but having more on my list that those two things, I did not get a lot done...so instead, I am going to work on my poetry goal for the year.

Last year, I did a last end of the year ditch effort to fit in some poetry. I think I did well, we did a lot with them in the way of writing them, but not with reading them. This year, I really wanted to do a poem a day, a week, I don't know something that entails more than just the end of the year rush.

The problem is that I have these really great ideas, start them, and then never finish them. I hope I am not the only one out there who does this. So I need to pick a goal that is doable for me for the whole year...

I found this book in my pile of stuff tonight...A Poem A Day and thought...this is something that I can do. The first part of the school year we as a class can do this. It can then be transferred into a center. Each poem has an activity that the students can do. Something else I always did was make the students a poetry book for each of them to write the poems they like or write.

Some other decisions:

1. I was going to do Homeworkopoly with my students, in the realization that I am going to be trying to many things that are new this year, I just can't do it. Maybe next year. I feel that this would be one thing that does not really benefit my teaching and will eventually go to the wayside by the end of September.

2. I was also going to do some sort of economy system in my classroom. I found these awesome checkbooks at Hobby Lobby for $1 each, a bank donated check registers, but I don't think that I have thought this all the way through and therefore will not be beneficial to my students.

Since my initial goal was to improve my rigor and education for my students, I have to start asking myself if what I am doing is just for my own busy work, or really going to help the kids. Yes, I think I am really trying to convince myself of these things.

Off the to do list: Homeworkopoly and Economy System
On the to do list: Weekly poetry