It’s Sunday morning and I am sitting at my summer office, knowing full well ‘summer’ is another nine months away. The days are numbered on the summer office with a few more days left in August. Soon it will be too cold, too wet, or both to sit outside and work. But,
I’ll make hay while the sun shines. Farmer’s wisdom
The birds are flocking to the feeders, and I watched three hummingbirds hash it out over at the hummingbird feeder. Sorry, no photo, those birds are just too quick.
School restarted Thursday with students sitting in my classroom albeit masked (all of us were masked) but sitting in my classroom; AND, happy to be there. Last fall, I created a menagerie of ‘students’ to keep me company while I taught using a camera and microphone. This year, ALL of my students are in the room. I am keeping those five students to remind me of our resilience and persistence.
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” Viktor E. Frankl Austrian neurologist, Holocaust survivor
There has been a lot of talk in the media about learning loss. The pundits love to point out deficiencies in public education because it’s easy to point out what’s wrong. It’s much more challenging to find what is good and that is what Making the Days COUNT dot org is all about. Always has been. There is far more good in the world than the media is apt to share. So, that’s why I have tuned it out. The loudest sound in the room isn’t always right, it’s just loud.
Getting back to school was easy. The first three days of the week were set aside to work on preparing for the coming year. Monday and Tuesday we worked with our teams – grade level, content, and school – to get ready for having a full house on Thursday. Wednesday was set aside for teacher time to get our rooms and ourselves ready for Thursday and Friday.
Thursday began with 33 smiling students sitting in my classroom for my first period class! In all I had 116 of the 117 students on my roster sit down and take in school as a full class for the first time since Friday, March 13, 2020.
And the best part, they all came back on Friday.
It’s gonna be a great year. I’ve got a lot to learn, I’ve got a lot to share, and together my students and I are going to move mountains. I am going to take the students I have and use what they learned about patience, resilience, persistence, and compassion to practice science.
I expect they’ll all come back Monday, and I am hoping that the 117th student who missed the first two days joins us. I’ll be working on remembering their names by sight and developing those important first day, first week relationships and trust that will enable true deep learning throughout the year.
It’s gonna be a great day and I have a ton of stuff to do. One of which is explaining how playing games (above photo) is key to understanding how scientists think and work. I had a great week, and I am confident the coming weeks are going to be a million and six times better. Stay tuned. So, I had better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, confident that every days is going to be amazing.
What made your week amazing?
LOve this upbeat, passionate and committed post, Clay. Let’s make your sentiments the loudest noise in the room
Sandra thank you for stopping in to MtDC! I’ve been overwhelmed with school and life and just haven’t made time, and there has been time, to replay and be thankful. We’re a little more than a month in and patience is beginning to pay off. I am hopeful, but I also know there are many of my students who are struggling with being back in school in a desk in a room full of other kids. Patience is the key. Again, thanks for stopping in and have a wonderful week. Peace.
Games are definitely a great tool to learn some critical thinking skills. Love it! Have you tried O-Trio! Oh my gosh it’s a battle here with that. So glad you are back in the classroom and glad that you’re jazzed up to teach and they’re jazzed up to learn. I imagine after all that time at home they will probably appreciate you guys more and being in school more. Although science is always a fun class with all the labs and hypothesis testing 🙂
Hey… seems like you have been busy, too. Life has accelerated in the past four weeks. But sometimes we need to take our foot off the gas and coast. The games have been a success and we’ll pick up where we left off in class Friday, by playing a new game and our last before focusing on science skills. Take care and stay well. Peace.
Hey Clay! Well just hustle and bustle and trying to learn a new skills but I’m at the extra novice level. Ha! I definitely need to take the foot off the gas and get back to writing before I lose the groove 🙂 but I’m glad the games are going well! My daughter came home with a Science Saturday Kit and it was a mini volcano in a jar (just add glitter, water, and dish soap) she was digging it 🙂 Science rocks!
I agree with Patricia. Games are so helpful in learning. And I know you go the extra mile to make all your learning fun and worthwhile. Good luck to you and all your students this academic year!
Margaret, I am so sorry life has been hectic since this post and a few others… i kept telling myself i needed to go back and reply. The school year is off and running and my students have been playing and learning this past week. There is a lot of excitement about learning and it is great to hear and see. Stay well and safe. Peace.
Replies unnecessary when life is hectic! Don’t worry. It’s lovely to hear from you, but you also need to look after yourself.
Oh, playing games is indeed a great way to learn. That’s why I LOVE word games. It really stretches the mind. I’m not much of a science or math person but I know they are extremely important subjects to be well-versed in. Fortunately I have calculators and computers for that stuff, but I really like to figure out words puzzles all on my own.
Here’s to the 117th kid! Hope there’s not some problem somewhere and he/she shows up ready to learn.
Here’s to another great week!
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Patricia – I was in Mississippi last weekend to deal with a leak in my stepmom’s vacant house in Oxford…. almost made a reservation for trip to V-burg… but decided to stay and work instead. Thanks for stopping. #117 joined us the next day and I am up to 119 spread among four classes ranging from 24 to 34. And they are all great kids. Have a great week and stay well. Peace.