Winding Down

Photo by Richard Pasquarella on Unsplash

Seven days more until summer. June 21. Coincidentally, that is our last day of classes. I am especially looking forward to this one and to having time over summer for the preparation of new programming and to revise curriculum for 2022-2023.

These last days of school are always interesting. With middle school, it's about keeping things "normal" while battling the students' ever-growing feeling of summer freedom.

In the high school, there's more a sense of winding down. As tests and projects come due, we all breathe a bit easier and reflection takes the stage. I love sitting with classes and asking general questions: How are you? How did things go? What worked? What didn't? What would you like to see/do next time? What can we do better?

These conversations over the last five school days brought excellent ideas and suggestions from students that I can't wait to put into action. It's great how this work always comes back to the core finding that has become my mantra: "take them seriously". They've begun taking themselves seriously, too, and the awakening that has begun is going to be fun to watch develop in the next school year!

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Goodbye, 2021

New Year's Eve is one of reflection and resolutions. This year, I'm not spending much time on either. Just pushing on and not looking back on this one. My goal for tonight is to enter the new year writing. I've been posting as much as possible on the Young Playwrights Guide this week and have the draft of an essay about the importance of youth writing and digital theatre in my Drive. I look forward to doing more of that in the days ahead.

I'm also gearing up for the return to school on Monday, but not exactly sure what that day will bring. As my wife and I began our prep this evening, the biggest unknown is exactly who will be in the room. Her school has decided to go virtual for at least a week; mine has not made that call. I imagine we will be in-person, but I also expect that the room won't be full. Maybe we begin the week with a one-off SEL activity to ease us back into the groove and to assess who is there and how that week will go. Remote teaching is different from in-person teaching; a hybrid of both is yet another thing. Using the day to gauge will be of help.

Otherwise, the plan is to keep the students in mind and to continue "taking them seriously". Encourage their work, their ideas, and their voices and keep putting it into action. It has been a good adjustment bringing that idea to the fore. Doing it more should get them even more engaged than they already are.

Happy New Year, everyone! Make it a good one.

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