This was a full week of learning for me. Add to that the 2.5 hours in the car everyday and I am exhausted! As I contemplate this feeling, I am reminded how I feel each year after the first day and week of school. It is a good exhaustion, but one that takes it all out of you.
I wonder if our students feel the same way after that first day and first week back. Is their exhaustion a “good” feeling, or one that just makes them want to curl up in bed? I have ideas on making that first week memorable for them. We will be talking, modeling, thinking, and learning. I want to avoid sitting, staring, and sleeping. I do not start with the syllabus on day one. However, I have to get to it and the policies and procedures within the first week. I need to find and implement techniques to make these less mind-numbing and more engaging. I also plan to conduct a lab with them as early as day 2 – Jump Right In!
I would love to hear your ideas. How do you start the school year? Are you exhausted? What do you do to keep your energy and enthusiasm up? How do you keep the students engaged and awake? Please share!
Talking and Teaching Science 