Another First Day
It’s another first day of school for me, I’m not really sure how many first days there have been if you count teaching and attending school. For example, a few months ago, I had another first day of school as a student, as I returned to earn my Senior Product Management certification. Today is the first day of the year for my online students, and online first days aren’t quite the same as in person. For me, they don’t seem to come with as many nerves, I won’t need a nap at the end of the day, and my voice will remain intact.
At the start of each year, I select a theme or a goal that will drive my teaching. It becomes both a guide and a challenge.
This year my theme is joy.
- I will find joy in all aspects of teaching and students.
- The students will discover the joy of making their mark (s) on paper and the world.
- The students and I will infuse assignments, lessons, and assessments with joy
When I determine a theme, I pick something that is meaningful, purposeful, and likely hard to attain. The goal is for the theme to challenge my way of thinking and working. It helps to push me and the content that I create, instead of keeping everything the same after 15 years of teaching.
Themes also give permission not to change everything and to experiment. I don’t know YET, how we’ll infuse joy into everything, but I”m excited to try.