This post first appeared on an education site where I share professional writing. Information on where I write professionally is listed at the bottom of the post.  

Reading

I will provide a variety of quality works for my students.

I will teach skills that will help students become better readers rather than teaching a text.

I will be an active reader and share personal reading with my students.

I will learn alongside my students.

I will embrace the ambiguity of multiple interpretations of a text instead of one “right answer.”

I will offer reading at times during class just to enjoy the beauty of words and passages without analyzing the text.

I will provide EPIC (experiential, purposeful, imaginative, and collaborative) lessons.

I will allow students to have choice in their reading.

Writing

I will teach writing not just assign writing.

I will give quality feedback on content, style, and craft.

I will confer with students about their writing.

I will be involved in the process of student writing.

I will allow students to experiment with personal style in order to find their unique voice.

I will encourage students to take risks in writing.

I will be an active writer and share my writing with students.

I will provide a variety of mentor texts for students to study.

I will embrace the messiness of learning to write.

Relationship

I will get to know my students and allow them to know me.

I will be intentional about building community in my classroom.

I will advocate for my students.

I will write reference letters, review college essays, and offer guidance in the college admission process.

I will go to games, plays, concerts, hospitals, baptisms, graduations, funerals, and other events that communicate value and worth to students.

I will enjoy my students.

I will speak words of encouragement and life to students.

I will brew coffee for my students.

Professional

I will have a life outside of work.

I will be a positive voice in education.

I will be solution-oriented rather than problem focused in education.

I will lead how I prefer to be led.

I will stay current with technology.

I will continue to grow and learn and be a part of a professional community (shout out to my AP Lit Help friends).

I will strive to bring my best daily but accept my limitations.

To these things will I be true in 2017.

Happy New Year!

This post was first published on AP Lit Help a Talks with Teachers site where I serve as editor and regular contributor. You can also find professional writing by me on Edutopia and BAM Radio’s Ed Words or in The Best Lesson Series: Literature and a soon to be published book on writing instruction. If I can ever be of help in your classroom, please let me know; I love to share ideas with other teachers.