When we think about celebrating on New Year's Eve, we think about the parties or toasting to good health and another year of broken resolutions. At the stroke of midnight, for those who can actually stay up these days, we countdown the seconds, kiss a loved one, and "promise" to eat healthier and workout. I must admit I have been a part of that for years. But then the new year arrives and the workouts get less and less, eating healthy was gone instantly, and our new year resolutions turned into giving something up for lent. Because if I think about it realistically, we tend to keep what we give up for lent easier than a whole year of keeping that self-promise.
What we tend to forget (as stated in my earlier blog about research) is that many do not really know why we actually celebrate the new year. Every year we countdown till the new year and nothing seems to change January 1. For me, the new year means a new semester focusing on different strategies (while still relating back to the previous ones this year). Creating new lessons and the dreaded ----- seating chart. Even though we are half way through the semester, the new year brings changes into the classroom. Whether or not I have new students, the new year brings new changes where I can focus on the learning within the classroom. While I cannot say that this past semester was perfect because we all know that not everything is perfect. Everything and everyone has a flaw of some sort. But it does give me a chance to improve from what I learned this past year. Even the idea of celebrating the new year in January was not always the case.
"Starting the new year in January was partially done to honor the god Janus, for whom the month was named. Since Janus had two faces, he was able to look back into the past and forward into the future simultaneously" (Tilford, 2016).
Instead of teaching the same way this new year, I will focus on looking back into the past to see what I can change and then look forward into the future on how I can use lessons of Differentiated Instruction to meet the needs of all my students.
So this year while I may toast with my family, kiss my loved ones good night, and wake up to an ordinary Tuesday morning, I won't be making those broken promises that I have done, like so many others, in the past. Instead, I will focus on my #oneword of "try" where I will try during the year. See you in 2019!
What's your "resolution"?
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