Students are in the building! I said I wouldn't actually be convinced we were having school until teachers and students were actually in the building. And it happened!
I have felt that if I got to meet my students and lay some sort of foundation, it would make any time we have to resort to full distance-learning (if/when it happens) much easier. I am SO thankful we have been able to start in person!
It was the weirdest and quietest and longest start ever.
Kids are in masks and 6 feet apart most of the day. They - so far - seem a little inhibited all of it (that might change over time).
We are doing a hybrid A/B schedule, so the halls are relatively empty and quiet. The classroom is quiet.
One of my students expressed her mild frustration: "We haven't been here in 5 months, and we have to come back in masks and can't sit close to our friends!"
Group A had the first day of school on Thursday and Group B began on Friday. I said a lot of the same stuff about 12 times. As I was beginning to wear down on Thursday, the thought of repeating the day over again on Friday about did me in. But Friday's energy was good, and hopefully, Group B had a similar Day 1 to Group A.
We don't have devices, yet, so next week's hybrid learning cannot be accomplished virtually. I sent some review work home with Group B to bring back on Thursday. We'll see how it goes.
This coming week, even without devices, I hope to introduce the Weekly Planner so students begin seeing "the routine." And, best of all, we'll dive into some math!
It feels really good to have started. None of us has any idea what this year will look like when it's done, but we will take each day as it comes. While there are still a lot of "what ifs," I am glad we've moved past a few of them and are actually doing school.
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