In Which We Are Introduced to My New School

https://goo.gl/xAkChH

On August 10 I will be starting a new school year with new students at a new school. But what does that really mean? Every year we get new students. Every year is a new school year. The only really new thing is the school I will be working at - Meridian School in Round Rock Texas.

I interviewed for this school so I've actually stood in the building before. I even met a teacher from this school at SXSWEdu. He enlightened me about the fact that the school was K-12 (and not just an elementary school). I even suggested this school to another teacher-friend of mine and he not only applied for a job; he was hired to work there.

But my accepting the job is less than 2 weeks old and I haven't been able to go to the school since to see what it looks like or even finish all of the paperwork for the job application. Yet on August 10th there will be students walking into my classroom. It is NOT too early to start putting together my teaching strategy.

Meridian School. I am a retired Naval Officer and have taken many hours of navigation classes and have spent hours on the bridge navigating ships around the globe. So I know what a meridian is. But why meridian for the name of the school? I looked to see if there were other meanings to the word meridian and I found that there was one that I really liked (whether this meaning is the one meant by our school's founders, I'll have to wait to see):

 "Meridian - Any of the pathways along which the body's vital energy flows according to the theory behind acupuncture."

If I am to be a truly effective teacher I will want to know how to help the energy flow of my students along their meridian from head to heart to hand and back again.

During the next 6 weeks I will be writing posts about my preparations for this school, the school year, and my students. I will be discussing how I set up my room, how I design my calendar, how I design my first week's lessons to support a collaborative environment, what my parent/student/teacher communication plan will look like, what technology I will have and what choices I will make for the use of that technology, and much more.

I am a teacher who will be having inquiry, collaboration, questioning, and design at the heart of all that we do. All of those discussions and suggestions I've had with teachers (in my role as a coach) over the last three years will have meant nothing if I don't attempt to replicate those practices that I have talked (and written) about with such enthusiasm.

Come along with me on this trip of discovery. Discovery about who I really am; what I really believe; and, what I am ready to practice with my students.