It’s official. There’s only one week left of the school year. It’s been a trial-and-error emergency elearning adventure for the past couple months and we’ve almost made it. The last couple months have been challenging and there has been plenty of anxiety to go around. Fortunately, I’ve also seen grace in supply as parents and educators tread through these uncharted waters. This year has been far from normal and I’m currently planning out my last week with students.
I have one more Zoom session with each class next week. Each class will discuss the results of a cumulative quiz, review the year, take a polygraph and end with a closing message. I’m hoping to end with some closure as we prepare for a different summer and unusual fall when school starts up again.
Cumulative
Last week I gave one final cumulative quiz over the past 1-2 months of learning through a Google Form. The quiz was only around 15-20 questions, but covered content related to the last unit. I’m required to give a grade for the final trimester and this quiz was influential in reporting math progress. Some of the questions were multiple choice, while other were open response. I realize I need to up my Google Quiz game. Hoping to work on that over the summer.
I’ll be using the quiz results to discuss particular concepts that might need strengthening and to highlight areas of strengths. I’ll most likely use some type of graph that summarizes problems that were correct/incorrect. Trends will be discussed and possible opportunities for summer learning will be brought to the forefront. Usually teachers give sometime of summer work near this time of the year, but I’m going to pass this year unless otherwise directed.
Review the year
The class will then review the year. I have a class Twitter feed that I’ll take pictures from and create some type of brief slide show for the students. I also asked the students for classroom experience/memories during the last class session. I’d like to have each student talk a bit about their math experience this year (if they’d like) and then finish by introducing the class polygraph (Thanks Cathy for the idea!). Each slide has an experience or class event. Students will spend around 10-20 minutes on the polygraph. There won’t be any looking over the shoulder during this as everyone is remote. During the last couple minutes I’ll reveal the names of the partners and then we’ll come back as a group.
Closing Message
Completing this in a digital form will be new. In a normal setting I’d tell the students how proud I am to be their teacher and that I’m looking forward to hearing about all the great things that they’ll accomplish in middle and high school. I then give them a high-five or fist pump and I say a quick goodbye and keep my composure (some of these kids I’ve seen for multiple years). Obviously this year is different. I’m preparing a slide that I’ll be showing them of of how proud I am during this strange and unique time of eLearning. I still have more work to do on this slide, but I want to make it meaningful and memorable for the students.
I hope I’m able to see all of my students face-to-face next year. I’m not sure that’s going to happen and only time will tell. I’m coming to the conclusion that it’s not really the end of the year. Every year in school impacts the next to a certain degree. This school year seems different and its ripples will impact next fall in ways that we’re not used to as schools scramble to figure out how to safely operate.
I hope you all have a safe end to the school year and a restful summer.
Educational Aspirations 