Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Back to School

It's August.  

Being a third generation educator, August is Back-to-School season.  It is a time to wind down the summer.  A gradual feeling of the beginning of the end, of long days, of late nights, of flexible schedules and of sleeping until you feel like waking up.  Some of the minor joys of being an educator and sharing the youthful schools-out-for-summer feeling.  But August, Back-to-School season, is also a time to mentally prepare for the next school year.  As an elementary school principal, I'm back at the school site making preparations and plans for the coming school year. Talking to potential parents about the new school year, to contractors about finishing up to have a school ready for students and a few other odds and ends.  

This year I have focused on book that I bought last year but just have time to read, Reinventing Project-Based Learning.  Your Field Guide to Real-World Projects in the digital Age by Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss.  I was bitten.  This book is the reason I started the blog.  The book spoke to me as an educator.  The idea of collaborating with others to develop a project or learning was something I have been starving for.  As an administrator, we are more isolated than teachers.  My first thought was I must do this with my staff.  My thoughts were on how to roll out this book in the limited time we have for Professional Development.   I'm the type that likes to build additions to the ship while we are sailing.  My staff, as a whole is not.  So, I've had to slow down and soak it up myself before sharing this.  

So, I will be blogging my thoughts and invite comments and suggestions on them.