Week 1: Ideals

Week One is always the best one of the year.  Getting to know fresh, new faces, making connections, setting the expectations for the rest of the year.  I have the patience to go over how we move around our classroom, line up, speak to each other etc, because I've had some time away from my teacher role, enjoying the summer with my family. New students means a chance to start really fresh - for everyone.

The first task is usually simply learning names.  I make a deal with the kids that if I can't name them before morning tea on Day 2 they'll get a treat.  There's never been a Day 2 I've missed a name.  This year, I had most of them by morning tea time on Day 1.  So my goal two day is to simply go around the classroom, not missing anyone out.  Faces light up as I 'name' them.  I feel successful.

At this time of year, it's easy to jump into everything.  There's a year stretching out ahead of us and so much to cover.  There's a year of extracurricular activities stretching out in front of these kids too, at our wonderful, busy school.  So there's less time to cover it all.  I have to remind myself constantly that what I do now will affect the productivity of the rest of the year, so it's okay to take a little more time now.

Looking at our current 'technology' and knowing we're charged with the task of attempting to move toward 1:1 with devices, so that every child has a device to use, I am concerned.  The old PCs I do have are not wonderful.  They take up a lot of room and are in varying states of 'aged decrepitation.'  Asking the kids who has some form of device, I find that about 6 do.  I hope (fervently) that others will be excited by our new Chromebooks and encourage their whanau to purchase this great learning tool for them.  I'm excited by the prospects as I remind myself that even when we didn't have 1:1 last year, our class was engaged in some great learning, much of it e-Learning based.  It's going to be a great year.