(Kind of Like) Fifty First Dates (Only Not)

#sol20- September 8, 2020

I will have to admit, there is something about this year that makes me wonder if I will “wake up” and find I have been dreaming- it is all a bit surreal. The start if the school year has been a bit of a whirlwind. We were not really sure how we would star- it ended up being 7 days of online. Then we moved to hybrid (alternating group A and group B) with a contingent remaining fully online. Turns out that was only for 10 school days. My group A started with only 4 students, as one was still in quarantine and one had paperwork to complete before he could be on campus. The on another day an additional group A student joined

Friday one of my group B students who had been online joined (so now I was up to first days by my count- first day online, first day group A, first day group A with two more students, first day A with yet another addition, first day group B, first day group B with an additional student).

Friday after school we got the great news that we were allowed to have all students on campus (with slightly reduced distancing requirements). Thinking through it I realized I would be “celebrating” my seventh first day of the year on Monday (with one student who was on campus for the first time on the 18th day of school). While first days are fun and exciting they are also exhausting! The good news- I am loving my class and now, on day 19 we have shared 19 great picture books already and have settled on some pretty great classroom agreements. We are building our community and making space for all. It is a very different year for sure and I know we will have at least a few more “first days” ahead (I still have 4 students online and already know I will have a brand new student who will join on September 21).

2020 is keeping it fresh for sure! We are ending each day reflecting on what we loved about the day and it is true- we have much to celebrate!