Today we opened school. We welcomed students. Finally. After several weeks of uncertainty, confusion, flailing about, laughing and honestly, nearly crying...the students arrived.BEST. DAY. EVER. I have to admit...I felt pretty good today. I also was fairly nervous to start the day. But they came to school, opened lockers (some better than others), ate lunch, saw their friends/classmates, had an assembly, and went home.700+ lunches served, 48 buses in, 48 buses out, 1 student missed the bus...NO SCHEDULE PROBLEMS!!!
That's the management part of the day...so the real question, "Did we do enough to ensure that they WANT to come back tomorrow?" Here is what I saw in classrooms...
- Adults making relationships with kids
- Teachers sharing their Twitter, Instagram, Remind usernames (no students actually following or liking)
- Students excited to go to lunch
- Seating charts, assigned seats, awkward looks from a boy to a girl and vice-versa
- Humor
Did we do enough to convince them that it will be an enjoyable YEAR? We only have one chance to make a first impression...what is the forecast? Dark and stormy OR Bright & sunny. If the forecast isn't favorable, what are we going to do to change it?
- Worksheets, worksheets, worksheets
So how are we doing? Do our students enjoy their learning experience? How are we using social media to "tell our story" of learning each day? What's the forecast for tomorrow? Are we student-centered or ME-centered? Are we still using too many worksheets/packets? (We have run out of paper twice this year already!)
It's not too late to make sure we have positive learning experiences for the rest of the year...is it?
