Resolutions 2012
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As folks go, I'm not very wise. I've lived 31 years on this green earth and still commit the same shortcomings year after year. Note: this coming from someone who takes New Years' Resolutions a little too seriously.
Every December since 2003, I've sat down and chronicled what I've done in the past year, dividing the months by geographical location or schoolyear or whatever division seems most appropriate. Then I make three lists: "What I Would Have Liked to Do Differently Last Year", "What I Want Next Year to Bring" and "What Next Year Most Likely Will Bring". Finally, I make a long list of resolutions (around 50, on average) and finally choose my Top Five resolutions.
I make resolutions about work, personal growth, and lifestyle. As lifestyles go, my vices are somewhere mid-spectrum: I drink coffee daily, alcohol weekly, and smoke less than a pack of cigarettes monthly. I flirt with women I have no intention of marrying, I eat the meat of animals I would not feel comfortable killing, and sometimes arrive at school after 8:00am check-in. I rationalize: it's okay to smoke if you have no more than one cigarette per day (you gotta enjoy life, after all); it's okay to show up to school late if you haven't got class till 10:30 (you're a volunteer, after all); it's okay to flirt (you're a red-blooded male, after all).
But I know about rationalizing. I know when you compromise one thing you make it easy to compromise everything.
Why am I so horrible at achieving resolutions? I've done my share of teacher trainings this past year and one topic repeatedly stressed is making learning objectives "SMART" (specific, measureable, attainable, realistic [or 'results-focused'], and time-bound). I've gotten pretty good at it for lesson planning. Sadly, it ain't how I approach resolutions. I set unrealistic and vague goals to be achieved over the massively expansive timespan of an entire year (I quote from 2004: "Lose weight." "Obtain a girlfriend." "Write 1 short story per month."). What's worse, I keep them to myself, as if they are embarrassing warts I'd rather not have anyone see.
I can do better.
Stefan Sagmeister, the New York-based designer and advocate of time off, said, "When I had the idea of doing [a sabbatical] the process was I made the decision and wrote it in my daily planner book. Then I told as many many [sic] people as I possibly could about it so there was no way I could chicken out later on."
My brain is limited. A year is unfathomable. So, in the interest of setting attainable, time-bound goals, I publically make the following vows for the next two months (i.e., until March 1st).
Personal Behavior
1) I will eat meat only if socially dictated
2) I will drink coffee only on weekends
3) I will smoke zero cigarettes
4) I will exercise at least twice a week
5) I will drink alcohol only in social settings
6) I will meditate at least 15 minutes per day
7) I will be celibate
8) I will not accept any payment for my work/services
9) I will arrive at school at or before 8am, Monday-Friday
10) I will not accept, share or use any licensed/copyrighted material without paying for the right (e.g., sofware, movies, music, pictures)
11) I will avoid using nonbiodegradable materials unless there is no other option
Work and Teaching
1) Raise funds for a 2nd semester of the Scholarship for Future Educators, and transition it to university control
2) Give students in all my classes expected class guidelines, due dates for assignments, grade breakdowns, and grade feedback
3) Document teaching practices within the Filipino higher education system
4) Advocate a teacher-feedback program where the department administration observes teachers in classes
5) Create a portfolio of interactive teaching resources for English classes
6) Improve my student-teacher seminars to better prepare students for the Licensure Exam
7) Propose book reports for students in my Developmental Reading classes
8) For future trainings, be relentless about actual change, not just sharing good ideas
9) Spend more time at social work centers, being a good male role model
Fortunately, most human behavior is habitual. So maybe, just maybe, if I can do these things for two months, I can do them for two more months, and then two more, and soon enough it will December 2012 and time for one of two things: the end of all things, or a new set of resolutions.
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