Goal setting

I'm reading yet another book for professional development.  One reason I'm drawn so much into reading for PD is because I want to be more efficient.  If I could develop systems to help me get the yuck parts of my life under control I think I would live a life more abundant.  

So, now I'm reading The Productive Online and Offline Professor by Bonnie Stachowiak.  I listen to her podcast, Teaching in Higher Ed, pretty regularly and I like how the topics challenge me to grow.

The book begins with goal setting.  My husband is laid back.  I'm not.  His term is that I'm "reactionary."  I tend to wig out at the drop of a hat.  It's not his favorite quality in me and I have worked to get better at it.

I like goal setting because it reminds me of the big picture.  I love teaching, but the little details of lesson planning, grading, organizing, etc can be hard to remember.  Getting bogged down by the annoying details makes me even more "reactionary".  (It could also be called grouchy).  They also slow me down from doing what I love:  building relationships with students and helping them be successful.

So I'm on the journey of coming up with some goals to help me focus on the big picture.

My goals:
Be dependable
Engage students
Guide students to learn (not talk so much--allow them time to think & interact with each other)
Introduce students to new cultures
Provide accessibility to all students
Develop and nurture relationships
manage details

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