I think one of the things that sets me apart from my peers is I believe setting goals is very important. I encourage my students to think about what they are not very good at and to focus on ways to get better at those things. And every week they write a reflection on how they are doing on those goals. Now I can't tell you the goals of all 32 of my kids, but I do know the goals of those who struggle academically or socially and I help them monitor themselves daily.

Obviously I set goals for myself too.

I am 12.3 miles away from achieving my yearly running goal. I am really looking forward to achieving it both for myself and to be able to talk with students about what happens when you stay focused for the long haul. I am fortunate that 24 of my students were with me last year as 4th graders and we can discuss how long a year seems at the beginning but looking back - was it really?

So what's happened to me in a year?

I've lost 14 pounds and nearly 11% body fat and I've gained almost 5 pounds of muscle.

My average pace for a 3 mile run has dropped to around 9:30. And for a 5 - 8 mile run it's around 10:30.

I am no longer afraid of 5 - 8 mile runs and I've learned how to pace myself better up hills.

I call myself a runner now, when I'm not calling myself a triathlete.

Veronica