Tweaking the New Year

This year marks my 21st year in the classroom.
You would think after 20 years I would have it all together.
My lesson plans would be set.
My classroom management all good to go.
However, when one's philosophy is to "Move Your Thinking"
And that includes my own as well as my students,
I am constantly learning of new things
Which in part means I am in constant change as far as my classroom goes.

This year my goals are many.

1) Use of the Progressions to best meet the needs of my students.
I vaguely recall hearing about the progressions when Common Core first became the new buzz word. But there were so many other things being thrown at us...Depth of Knowledge levels, Math Practices, Literacy Standards, close reads, deconstruction of the standards just to name a few...that I believe the progression documents went in one ear and out the other.  It took a state conference to reintroduce me to this little gem.  Not only do they spell out how math concepts are developed through the grade levels, but the instructional strategies included are priceless.

2)  Revamped Grading System to better motivate my kiddos.
This first six weeks going to try a new grading concept.  Assigning quality points for students to acquire as many points as they can in a unit.  Grades will be determined by how many points they earn/total points.  My seventh hour will be my guinea pigs.  I will also keep a traditional grade book to best assess both grading systems.  We shall see.

3)  Clustering concepts
While this is a great idea...most of the concepts in the 8th grade standards are major.  With only two being supporting...bivariate data and rational numbers...and volume being the only additional standard, clustering my concepts together won't be a large task.  Which might be a good thing.

4)  Nothing ever is set in stone...continue tweaking.
While I have been working out my common core lessons for the last three or four years now, I still do not do it the same every year.  It would be nice.  It would be much easier.  However, like I stated before, I keep learning which in turn changes my teaching.  Plus, my students keep changing, which also alters my instructional strategies.