New Semester Resolutions

So did you get a chance to pop over to Olivia's blog yet?  If you didn't then you should probably drop everything now and do so, or you're missing out.  I shared my short list of New Semester Resolutions there (because New Year's Resolutions are way to mainstream).

Tomorrow, the children of the corn (I am amazed at the things that come out of my mouth while I'm in teacher mode sometimes, but I actually called my students this once) will get a chance to make their own.  Or, they'll, you know, draw obscene pictures on the paper.  Whatever.  I haven't warned my mentor teacher, but I figure if I just come with a bunch of copies she'll have to let me do it.  If nothing else, to pay tribute to all the trees that died in the making of those goal sheets.

I've been amazed at the number of students who flat don't turn in assignments.    Several of them are failing, where they could easily be getting a B.  A lot of them have organizational issues.  Some don't work on assignments at home.  I think they could all use a fresh start.

Some teachers would say that the work that goes on outside of the classroom is not my responsibility.  But I still feel like I should do everything I can to try and convince bribe, blackmail the students that doing the work is important.  I keep telling them that I don't want them to end up working at McDonald's for the rest of their lives.

Here's what's coming at my seventh graders tomorrow:

New Semester Resolutions

A new semester means a fresh start; how is this semester going to be different from last semester?

School-Related Goal (Write at least one goal related to improving in this class):

Steps (Write at least one practical step you can take towards accomplishing this goal):

Personal-Growth Goal (Write at least one goal related to your overall growth as a person):

Steps (Write at least one practical step you can take towards accomplishing this goal):

Did you do something like this in school?  Any ideas about how I can help motivate a bunch of angsty teenagers to do their work?