My New Year’s Teacher Resolutions for 2023
It’s the time of year where we reflect on how this past year went and look forward to all that the upcoming year will bring. Just as any good teacher reflects on their lessons and how to improve them, I have reflected on myself this past year and come up with some teacher resolutions for myself (hence the name forever learning and growing) in 2023. I’m not one for making huge lofty goals that are super hard to achieve, but I have come up with 5 very attainable goals that I have for myself in the classroom in 2023.
My New Year’s Teacher Resolutions
In no particular order, here are my New Year’s teacher resolutions for 2023…
1. Keep My Inbox Organized
My inbox is always a mess. I get SO MANY advertisements sent every day and I will just leave emails in my inbox as well. This has left me with over 1,000 unread emails at times (mostly just advertisements) but I know I need to be so much better about this. The past few weeks I’ve tried to unsubscribe from lots of companies and their email marketing (I don’t need to know when every single store has a sale). I also have started utilizing folders more so that my inbox can be way more cleared and easier to find the messages I need to to do something with right away.
While I’ve begun cleaning my email a little, I still have a long way to go this month. Once I set up my systems I hope to keep this up in 2023 and beyond!
2. Keep My Computer Organized
Recognizing a pattern with organization here for my teacher resolutions? I do so much on my computer– from creating centers and games to worksheets and parent letters. I am pretty quick at creating stuff but tend to just save to desktop or downloads. I’ve had times where there’s so much on my desktop that files have started stacking on top of each other because there’s no more room. My goal for myself this year is to take the extra 15-20 seconds to save something to the right place so I don’t have to spend my first week of summer every year organizing everything.
3. Send Home More Positive Notes
Over the years I’ve recognized how far a positive note can go in terms of building parent and student relationships. This year I’ve started emailing parents a positive note every time their child grows in their reading and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. In 2023, one of my teacher resolutions is to send even more positive communication home.
One of my favorite quick ways to do this is by sending these notes home (free from The Boring Teacher on TPT). I print several to a page, sign my name at the bottom of each, and then copy on different colors of Astrobright paper. Once I cut them out, I’m set for a long time and can easily grab one when a student has had a super day! Students LOVE getting these notes and while I tend to staple them in planners, sometimes they want to hold onto it so they can immediately show their parents. This year, I plan to keep more of these out on my desk so I can remember to do this more often!
4. Be Okay with Saying “No” More
This is a teacher resolution that is hard for me. I am a people pleaser and don’t ever want to feel like I’ve let somebody down. However, this past year as I’ve said yes to a lot of things, I’ve also felt more stressed out at how much of my time it is taking up. This year I’m saying “no” more often or being honest that I don’t have enough time.
5. Only Work Contracted Hours (95% of the time)
Out of all my teacher resolutions, I feel the strongest about this one. My first few years teaching, I lived and breathed teaching. I stayed at school until a little before dinner, worked after getting home, worked all weekend… everything I did was work. During COVID I had to co-seat, which means I had to teach virtually (through pre-recorded videos and one daily morning Zoom) and in-person at the same time. So basically two jobs (but not double the pay), which meant lots of time spent outside of school hours recording myself and figuring out how to make lessons digital. I was BURNT. OUT. I still am a little.
Also, no matter how hard I try, I never have felt “caught up” and maintained that feeling. Funny enough, it always feels like after I stay at school late to get fully caught up, I get swamped with 15 new things that come my way the next day. So I’m trying to be okay with not getting everything done right away and that everything will be okay. I’m starting to show up a little before kids come to school and leaving when I’m able, and this is something I will continue this next year. Obviously there’s the occasional time I will need to work a little longer (but hopefully it’s not often and only 5% of the time).
Teachers are asked to do too much as it is, and I’m at the point where I will absolutely give my all during contract hours but after that, it will get done when it gets done. Part of me feels bad typing this, but I have to tell myself it doesn’t make me a bad teacher– it means that I am setting boundaries and doing what is sustainable long-term. I have found myself getting pretty efficient at knocking things out at school when I get small pockets of time (checklists have been my best friend) and if I’m being honest, I’d rather work through my lunch than take anything home. I’m reserving my time at home for my family and activities that make me happy (and no, grading papers at night does not fall into that category 🙃).
With that being said, I’m ready to make some positive changes for myself as I continue to help my students grow and reach their full potential. Here’s to hoping my teacher resolutions stick this year! Do you have any of your own teacher resolutions you’re making this year? If so I’d love to hear them!
Want to pin this for later?
