In some ways, after a whole year of focusing upon National Board, it's weird to put my focus there again. Although, admittedly, it is so different this time around. I already know the process. I know my timeline. I know my standards. What I need to do is focus upon what I missed the last time and push myself to make sure I demonstrate that evidence this time.
It's just weird. Everyone totally expected me to pass/certify this time. I am the one that it affects yet I seem to be the only one who isn't mad about it. It's what it is. I guess after the year I had last (school) year, and knowing where I will end up, eventually, it seems like small beans in the long run. It isn't going to cost me my job or make me a worse teacher without those extra few letters behind my name.
I have already begun to collect some work samples. Granted, I am MUCH more content teaching the upper grades. I feel better there and more in my element. I'm glad that I have the chance to redo this one with kids at an age I'm more comfortable with. I selected several writing samples from a weekly written response test we have to do. I'm not focused on the content of their answer but rather their method, the writing itself. Some of my students are phenomenal at writing constructed responses and some still provide short, choppy answers that aren't what I expect them to be able to produce, especially after several months together in the classroom.
I am going to use these works as my "before". They won't make it into the entry itself but are going to guide my instruction as we push through this next unit on personal narratives so I can gauge the students' progress from one stage to the next in terms of their writing. After the personal narrative we are doing a unit on compare/contrast writing so the personal narrative and CC samples may well be what ends up going in the entry.
I'm taking an entirely different approach to this entry this time around. My thinking has changed by reflecting upon what I did before and what I think I need to do now. I'm excited to see where this entry takes me this year.
