Hope or Goal for This School Year?

Yesterday, when I was at my Literacy Cadre meeting, our "leader" asked us to think of a hope or goal for this upcoming school year.  I'll admit...it caught me off guard.  I don't quite have my "teacher brain" back yet, and I still am about 65% in summer mode. 

That being said, I do create a goal for each school year.  It's kind of a team thing...we sit down, think, discuss, and come up with one personal goal and one team goal.  So, I guess now's the time to start mulling...

(if my awesomely ghetto computer was working now, I'd upload a cute picture here...but alas, it's not, so this must be an all text post...I apologize up front.)

According to MindTools.com, goals are important because it helps you focus and organize your time and energy.  Basically, setting goals keeps you on track, AND allows you to clearly see your own individual progress!  And, personally, I agree.

Last year, my goal was much more broad.  This year, though, after a day of Literacy Cadre, I think I've figured mine out.  It's something I wanted to start last year and just never took off with it.  It is SENTENCE IMITATING!  Or, at least, a rendition of it!  :)

Here are my steps, (or so I think, so far...), to meeting my goal:

1. Each week, pick one sentence from a book or text that we have read in class. 
2. Copy that sentence either on a large sheet of paper, chart paper, or a sentence strip.  Leave sentence in easily viewable area all week.
3. First day-- read and examine the sentence together as a class.  What do we notice?  What do we like about it?  What makes it great?
4. Second day-- have students reread sentence on their own.  Maybe on a sticky note, have them write an observation, like, want, etc. of their own about the sentence.
5. Third day-- copy the sentence into their writing journals.  ME (the teacher!) point out what is awesome about it!
6. Fourth day-- under the copied sentence in writing journal, first model, then have students independently write their own "imitation" of the sentence.  Pair and share.
7. Fifth day-- go back and reread our "imitation" sentence from the day before.  Edit, revise, or add to.  IF time (and desire), students can come up with another, second, sentence imitation!


So there you have it!  My goal.  Step by step, day by day.  It's definitely going to take some work and effort on my part to remember to designate a few minutes to it each day, but I think it shouldn't be bad and in the end, I know the results will be amazing!  Crossing fingers!  :)

Now you read mine, tell me yours!  Haven't come up with a goal yet?  Maybe it's a big one, or maybe it's more specific like mine?  Either way, I'd love to hear it!  Leave me a comment below, and maybe we can help each other stay accountable this year through!