Happy New Year! Things done, and things yet to do

Well, that's 2009 down.  (In my mental calendar, it's not so much one year--2009--as half of SY 2008-09 and half of SY 2009-10.)  And as always, it's worth reflecting on the successes of the year.  In accordance with tradition, these reflections will take the form of a top ten list.

TOP TEN MOMENTS OF 2009

10.  I began my 4th year of teaching--I'm no longer officially a rookie!  Now, all I need is for my craft to show that.
9.  SY 2008-09 was our first full year of Positive Behavior Support.  The students have strong opinions about it.  Very strong.
8.  I modeled literary analysis for my sophomores by ripping Twilight a new one.  A good time was had by all.  (Later I made it clear that reading anything was better than reading nothing.)
7.  We've formed a professional learning community at school.  After 10 meetings, we're just about ready to stop complaining and get down to business.
6.  I wrote more on this blog last year than in the previous two years combined, and increased my readership by 50%.  Now 3 people read it.
5.  The professional development days.  SOOO many professional development days.  If I'd done this much work on applied behavior analysis in college, I'd have my minor in psychology.
4.  I reorganized my curriculum.  Again.  Only not really.  Again.  Still, it's better than it was, in the same way that a lean-to shed provides better protection from the elements than a pile of sticks.
3.  For the school's winter assembly, 5 of my co-workers and I walked like Egyptians, while 4 others showed off their entirely too-good Bangles impersonations.  Later research suggested that most Egyptians don't actually walk like that, and probably dance better.
2.  One of my students of bygone years--one of the ones I never thought liked my class very much-- came into my classroom wearing some amazing pajama pants.  He said to the class, "These are pantalones en español.  ¿Te gustan mis pantalones?"  Grinning from ear to ear, he waltzed back out.

And the number 1 moment of 2009 in school-related topics was.... (brrrrmmmmmm.....)

Working with the Amazing Staff and Oft-Imitated, Ne'er-Duplicated Students at our school.  You're the reason I keep getting out of bed at 5 AM, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy New Year, all!  (I'll leave the "things left to do" in the title for a later post.  I'm too busy doing some of them right now.)