Weekly Recap #1

The first week of classes is officially in the books!  This year's group of students have such an eclectic mix of personalities and skills (more so than ever) ... I can't wait until we get to uncover all of them throughout the term.  These students and I spent the first couple of days building up our classroom culture.  The students were able to share with me what they want out of the class and me (as their teacher) before I told discussed my expectations for them.  They were so honest with their responses - which ranged from fun to engaging, to someone who was willing to relate to them.  

My students' ability to be so frank the first day of school before they even knew me told me a lot about them.  Truthfully though, I had to tell them that it was okay to be honest with what they needed (even if it meant writing down something that went against their classmates).  The trust that we have begun this year's journey with means that I feel comfortable taking the several risks that I had hoped to try out this year ... I mean, you should have seen the Tech Academy's students' eyes light up when I told them that they were going to design scaled models of green-designed homes.  They are bright-eyed and full of wonder, and I intend to keep that sense of awe and wonder alive in our class!