Moving Forward

Welcome back to a new calendar year and the second half of the school year.




Most of us come back from the winter break and have new goals (as well as old goals) for the rest of the year.  This month I just want to articulate what my goals are for the rest of the year in an effort to be held accountable to them in some fashion.







At the end of the semester, I gave my students a Google Survey so that students could reflect on their learning journey and to offer me suggestions on how I can improve during the second semester.

Click here for the actual Google Form.

Can you guess my students top three favorite classes of the day and how my students feel about math?

Click here for the results.



While there were a couple questions like these, I focused on the question, "What is something Mr. Stott can improve on next semester?"

I try hard to demonstrate to my students that the focus is on a Growth Mindset in the class - moving forward from where you are today - by willing to try and learn from your mistakes.

This survey allows students to express to me what I did well during the first semester and what I could improve on during the second semester.  My favorite student quote, from Patrick Johnson, "u can be a little edgy sometimes but ur very mannerable" -  I have to love the honesty, the spelling, and verbiage - his quote makes me smile every time.

Here are a couple of my takeaways from the results and where I want to improve for this semester:

1.  Slow down and give more time.  This was a common comment by many students.  I can do this by allowing more time while taking notes - allowing more time to complete problems in class - and allowing more time in class to work on a specific skill.

2.  More individual attention.  I always want to do this and yet I come up with one reason or another as to why this is not happening.  This semester I want to work on this area - by identifying those students who are struggling with a specific skill and give them some individual attention so that they can move forward.


There are two other goals I have for this semester that were not created from this survey but I wish to state them here so that I can be held accountable to them as the semester progresses.

3.  Being aware of the words I use in the classroom.  Words have impact - as we all know.  I recently read a research article on not using the word 'just' in the classroom.  It was interesting to reflect on how that word could have a negative impact on my students - 'just follow these steps' - 'just try your best' - and so on.  While this is only one word, it got me thinking about what other words or phrases I may use in the classroom that do not convey my ultimate goal of having students move forward.

4.  Making better connections with my students.  For me, a student does not need to like math and I do not want them to not try because they do not like math.  I find that a lot of students who do not like math will try better if I treat them with respect and have some type of connection with them.  It is my goal every day to have one conversation throughout the day that is not math or academic related - but rather a conversation that is personal.  (Note:  Five days into the new year and making it so far.)



How will I know if I reached these goals?  These four goals will be incorporated into my final year reflection Google Survey for students to answer.  This will give me the data I need to determine if I moved forward.






As you start this new year and semester, what goals do you have for yourself?  Push yourself to move forward this semester.

Teaching and still loving it,

                                                                                                                            Kevin Stott

De Anza Middle School