a new set of goals

okay, so here's my present set of goals, in no particular order:

1) set up a system of incentives for the kids. i will put up a list of goals for each of the kids (for example, willow needs to work on her writing [she has a habit of writing certain letters backwards] and aiden needs to work on basics like tying his shoes and holding his violin bow correctly [he's getting better!]). i will assign each goal a certain value, in an economy of stars. each reward is worth a certain number of stars. for example, what we did today, going to windward mall and playing a round at "glow putt" should be worth 15 stars or so...

2) develop a grammar "puzzle" or "train." i want to do this partially for myself, but more importantly for my sped kids. wouldn't it be interesting and fun to actually "construct" grammatically correct sentences by piecing together words? grammar has rules, and these rules can be visually and tactile-ly (?) reinforced by pieces that can only fit together in certain ways...

3) develop a routine to incorporate "curriculum based measurements" of reading into every reading session. i could tape record students as they read, noting which words they mispronounce. from this i could determine the WRC (or words read correctly per minute), a great general quick-and-dirty measure of both reading fluency AND reading comprehension. students could chart (publicly) their WRC scores. my goal (and theirs) would be to quickly improve their WRC.

also, i want to fine-tune students' vocabulary development. by noting which words particular students have a difficult time on, i can give individual students the appropriate words to focus on. this would, of course, be in addition to any word lists assigned for any given week...

there must be a cheap way for students to all have tape recorders. it would be invaluable to have students READ their readings out loud and record them onto tape recorders. this would give us hard-copy evidence of students' reading strengths and weaknesses...

4) i want to follow similar tacks with my acupuncture students. i want to make all aspects of the diagnostic process as accessible as possible, as clear as possible. i made a rough draft intake form solely based upon the pulse. i need to fine tune this.

i also want to create an intake procedure to determine structural imbalances. this would involve using some kind of pressure-sensitive carbon paper to record the imprint of patient footprints, to determine if they are high-arched or flat-footed, etc. it would also involve taking photographs of the patient in front, back and profile. ideally, these photographs would be over a grid, to better "visualize" the postural aberrations. if we can concretely "see" these things, then we are better able to specifically address patient needs.

5) i need to meditate more, develop my "internal observer." someday, i want to incorporate this into my daily regimen...

6) taiji goals remain largely unchanged. i have started incorporating push hands into my taiji classes. so far, it is fun. i don't know how far i will take these concepts with some of my classes, but for now, i'm "exploring."

7) i need to better study my herbs. AND create mnemonics for my students, so they won't have to wrestle with these issues as i periodically must.

8) i would like to learn go and chess.

9) i want to draw, and effectively use and "see" color in my drawings. someday, i would like to paint. i also want to incorporate art into digital media, maybe after purchasing a drawing pad. willow wants to do this sort of thing, i know. eventually, i want to also purchase animation software (i think i mentioned this earlier) so that willow (and yes, me) can explore making cartoons.

10) garage band rocks. i have dreams about doing a lot of radiohead songs, first of all. i can now do the basic piano for "how i made my millions" (like, duh, it's so-o-o easy), and will eventually transfer what i can do to garage band. i want to work on my singing voice (HAHAHAHA) and see if it is salvageable... while we're talking purely in the abstract, i would also like to play the guitar. and the drums. i mean, i can "enter" these instruments in the appropriate garage band registers, but nothing replaces the original instruments in all their wonderful cacophany.

again, the world is wonderful, if you keep discovering new ways to see it (and, perhaps, new ways to get yourself in trouble).