resolutions
August 1, 2019
For a teacher, opening old files is like opening an old photo album. You’re flooded with memories, and also reflections on what went wrong and what went right: Why did I let my mom talk me into that perm? Stirrup pants with winter boots! When are those coming back? If I had real friends, they […]
premium
January 4, 2019
2019 is my Elsa year. And by that I mean, of course, Let it go. As I shared echoing some very smart people in the last couple of years at “resolution time,” what good is an intention without a plan? This year, for various reasons, I find myself needing to streamline my life, to find […]
premium
January 11, 2018
We have a habit of resolving things in January, of sensing the newness and opportunities of a new year like an present we’ll unwrap a day at a time for the next twelve months. Old year(s) resolutions I have a habit of posting such things in January. Last year I wanted to be Officer Hopps, though […]
premium
January 24, 2017
Shall we talk politics? Everyone else is, so, why not. But wait a minute. There’s quite a bit of politics in this post that’s not about politics. So, I should start here: what is it about? A call to meatloaf – I mean, empathy As 2016 turned into 2017 and the most divisive spirit most of us have […]
premium
January 11, 2017
Are you a bad teacher or a good teacher? Will anything about your teaching change in 2017? I’m pretty sure at every Camp Musicuentos, I’ve had a crier. At least one person has broken down in tears. At least one person has talked about applying to work at Starbucks. Teachers are feeling crushed under the […]
premium
January 6, 2016
Stuck and confused. Those are the two words that describe how I feel as I contemplate what I want to change, do, and be in 2016. (No, I don’t have to have it figured out by January 1. There’s a lot of 2016 left.) I’m thankful for the online language teaching community for helping me find some […]
premium
January 10, 2015
Here’s another trend I’d like us all to resolve to change this year (the first was to stop beating ourselves up thinking our students’ learning is entirely up to us). If you don’t participate in a listserv (which is like being on an email list with a bunch of other teachers) or a Twitter chat (WHY NOT?!?!) […]
premium
January 5, 2015
Happy New Year, Musicuentos readers and language teachers everywhere! It’s that time of year we all like to step back and think about areas we can change or improve in the year ahead. I’ve been enjoying the #oneword posts I’ve seen (especially Laura’s one on less) from teachers choosing a word to guide their 2015. […]
premium
January 10, 2014
What an important resolution to make! If you’re only going to make one resolution this year, there are so many options to choose from – more comprehensible input would probably be the top one I’d pick. But this one is so close. My last suggestion for a resolution for 2014 is to 5. Use more […]
premium
January 7, 2014
If you’ve read me long, you’ve heard it before – no matter how good the textbook is, at least in my experience, it’s never motivated students past September, and it’s out of date as soon as it’s printed. Of course there are lots of other arguments – artificial order, ridiculously expensive supplements, faulty companion assessments, […]
premium
January 5, 2014
After you’ve decided which research-based book to read and how to collaborate with another teacher, how about resolving to survey your students? My third suggestion for a 2014 resolution is: 3. Survey your students. We all know the power of honest feedback. Have you ever invited your students to give you constructive feedback? I’ve surveyed […]
premium
January 3, 2014
After you’ve decided which research-based book to read, how about resolving to collaborate with another teacher on something? My second suggestion for a 2014 resolution is: 2. Collaborate with another teacher on a project. One of my mottos is that collaboration is the 21st-century skill. Wow, what a wide world is opened to us now! My […]
premium