Will They Be Ready?

Will They Be Ready?  

As this school year ended, and as I plan for next year, I am hit hard with the overwhelming, yet driving question, "Will They Be Ready?"  My line of questioning doesn't just focus on whether or not my fourth graders are adequately prepared for fifth grade.  No, my self-inquisition includes whether or not I have solidified a foundation that will support the challenges that await them beyond room 211 and venture into middle school, high school and hopefully college. 

I can pull up Common Core Standards and check off each and every objective taught.  I can cross reference test scores and compile data to "prove" I am a "highly-effective" teacher.  But, why?  That's NOT why I teach! It's not about me.  It's about them.

So, instead, I redirect my line of questioning to, "Can I identify 'Life Skills' that I have helped them develop?"  Well, let's see.  At the start of the last school year I decided that there were certain skills that I must help these young and eager nine-year-old students develop.  These are a few I feel I did well.

•   Accept responsibility for self
•   Learn the value of time management
•   Learn how to study
•   Learn to fail
•   Learn how to problem solve
•   Learn how to synthesize information
•   Learn how to balance "giftedness" with "childhood"

Now, I'm not going to be so arrogant as to claim I am such a brilliant and amazing teacher that all my students were successful in all these areas.  Instead, I intend to use this blog as a means for sharing the strategies I used this year.  It is also a means of self introspection and improvement.  So....here we go!