These are my commitments to myself, my students, and my profession for the 2017-2018 school year. If you are an educator in any capacity – teacher, administrator, curriculum coach, county or state leader – I encourage you to write your commitments for the year, share them publically, then live them out. Let’s make 2017- 2018 the best year yet of influencing the next generation!

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.

I will do everything I can to get the right book into the hands of reluctant readers.

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, not just the final product.

I will allow students to experiment with personal style in order to find their unique voice and not penalize students with a bad grade when they are experimenting with their writing.

I will encourage and reward revisions.

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.

I will take professional risks and do things that make me uncomfortable.

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