Naturally, this isn't the right blog to be chronicling my New Year's resolutions, right? Well, I thought about it, and I realized that any resolution or goal or decision I make in the hopes of becoming an all-around better person is not only relevant to my teaching career, but crucial to it.

Though most teachers see the year as going from September-August, it's really helpful for us to take a hint from those who follow the traditional January-December calendar and re-evaluate our lives at the outset of the new year. By doing this, we stay on top of goals that may have slipped a bit and get a handle on them before it's too late. We can also decide which September aims may not be attainable, and swap them for resolutions slightly more grounded in the real world.

It's a good idea to have several goals, each pertaining to one aspect of your life. That being said, you want to keep your list fairly small. I've seen people with upwards of 15 resolutions-- if you can't count them on one hand, you'll never attain them!

So, without further ado, my resolutions:

1. Health, Wellness & Stress Management: Go to hot yoga every Thursday night for 6 weeks. Ok, I would love to say "I'm gonna go to the gym every day for the rest of the year!" but let me tell you, that is NOT happening. I know I need to exercise to prevent my stress from overtaking me and to keep colds and flu at bay in time for the third round of practicum, but if I give myself too lofty a goal, I know I'll be back to doing diddly squat before I hit week #2. So one night a week of a fun, affordable, stress-busting activity is what I'm promising myself.

2. Personal Relationships: Wear comfortable but flattering clothes at home and on weekends.  I so wish I could resolve to see all of my close friends at least once a month, or to write long, detailed emails and have phone dates that last hours-- but again, not very realistic given that I've only got 4 more months to complete my B.Ed and, you know, get hired and stuff. So I'll save my keeping in touch with friends resolution for 2011 and stick to something deceptively simple. So, my boyfriend doesn't give a rat's tail about what I wear, but I do think he might appreciate it if I let him wear his own clothes once in awhile. Instead of changing into men's baggy sweats and hoodies when I'm not teaching, I've got a cute collection of women's yoga pants and fitted sweatshirts all ready for my leisure time in 2010. Again, not something that takes much thought, but I think my boyfriend AND the old ladies we see in the grocery store will appreciate my more mature approach to casual fashion. This will be especially important once I have a job, since I will not only be seeing little old ladies at the grocery store, but students and parents as well. 

3. Finances: Stick to the grocery list. I've got a pretty tight budget as I cope with some of the costs incurred by commuting last semester, so I'm trying to cut corners anywhere I can. I want to stick to my budget, obviously, but the most annoying bad money habit I have is grabbing things I don't need in the grocery store. Instead of snatching up (usually unhealthy) foods on impulse, I'm going to follow my list religiously and avoid spending too much on things I don't need. And not having to worry about money frees up a ton of energy that I can then use to create creative, original material for my lesson plans. 

4. Teaching Skills and Job Acquisition: Keep in touch with important contacts. Jon has talked about this before-- as we enter the application and interview stage of our B.Ed year, we're starting to need more reference letters and phone numbers than ever before. It's always good to be able to tailor your references to the position and to use the best possible references in every situation, so I'd like to make sure I have all my mentor-ducks in a row. I'm definitely hoping that by giving them some advanced warning, I'll be better able to secure those letters in time for the deadlines. 

Have you made New Year's resolutions for 2010? Have you noticed that your personal well-being (or lack thereof) affects your students? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!