Goal Setting

I am a person who needs goals.  During the school year, this isn't hard.  You are always working toward something - a test, the end of the quarter, exams, a project presentation, yearbook deadline, or just Friday.  During the school year, goals are a given.  During the summer, goals are essential.  Without them, it is possible to end the day, realizing you have done nothing (like I did during snow days).


I divide my goals during the summer into reading goals, school goals, home goals, and personal goals.  This summer I will:

- Read for at least an hour a day.  I just finished Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins, a book I have had for years but finally started reading during the school year.  Last night, I started Dewey, a book about a cat who lived in the library in Spencer, Iowa.  After that, I will read a few Sherlock Holmes stories.  My friend, Cheryl, keeps telling me I need to read The Martian, so I will be getting that one soon as well.

- Proofread the textbook I wrote last summer.  Getting the book finished took longer than I thought (see my posts Hyperlinking Brains from January), so there was no time for proof reading.  As a result, my students and I found many errors.  They spent the year sending me any errors they found in e-mail.  I will soon be fixing these, so it will be better when it gets handed out next year.  The other thing I need to with the book is a media credit page.  I want to model proper crediting of the work of others, but I ran out of time to complete that as well. 

- Read several books specifically for school.  I just finished Checking for Understanding, a required reading book about formative assessment.  I checked out Drive by Daniel Pink, a book about motivation and How We Learn by Benedict Carey.  I love that we are starting to translate brain science into curriculum modification; it has taken a while.

- Make my home organization match my school organization.  When people ask what I am going to do during the summer, I usually reply, "All the things I don't have time to do at home during the school year."  Yesterday, I was waiting for my new refrigerator to be delivered, so I started organizing the kitchen cabinets.  I am not done with that yet, but my junk drawer looks amazing.  I have some repairs to do, but most of this summer's goals at home are related to cleaning and organizing.

- Use my Reformation Study Bible.  In depth Scripture reading takes time.  I always feel like I don't give it enough attention during the school year.  During the summer, I will get to spend time reading all of the notes and insets.  I printed a chronological reading plan, an approach I have never tried before.  Today, Cain killed Abel, and Seth was born. 

- Walk 500 miles.  Last year, I wanted to accomplish a half marathon for myself (walking - I don't run), and I did.  Once I accomplished, it however, I didn't walk again until spring break.  This year's goal will ensure that I don't stop (although I must reduce) when the school year starts.  Using The Proclaimers song "I Will Walk 500 Miles" as inspiration, I have set a goal of walking 500 during the summer and following up with 500 more during the following school year. 

- Donate Blood.  I am in the middle of an ongoing goal, to reach 100 pints of blood donated by my 40th birthday.  My 40th birthday is next May, and I am on track to hit 101 by then.  One of those blood donations will happen this summer.  Since they only let you give every 8 weeks, I can only do one during the summer.

Well, I have an appointment at the Apple store, which is seven miles away; so I better get ready to knock out 14 of these miles.