Teachers reported back on August 20, and it was as if we hadn’t been apart for ten weeks. The newcomers were warmly welcomed, and we spent the off-site session focusing a lot on our students’ mental state. We hadn’t discussed this previously, and it was welcome, unintentionally echoed by the priest during the mass that day.
That night, we welcomed the freshmen’s parents at a reception, and everyone was in great spirits, promising a good start to the school year.
That Friday, the freshmen and transfer students arrived for orientation, which included a walkthrough of their schedule, seven minutes per class, giving us little time to say more than welcome.
Things got real last Monday when everyone was back in uniform, and the 2024-25 academic year began.
So far, so good. My two honors freshmen classes are quiet and serious, ready to work. It took until Thursday for them to begin showing some personality. We eased into the academic work, and they seem ready, maybe even eager, to get things underway.
I mostly know my sophomores, but I haven’t taught them before, and it’s clear we have some work to do. On Tuesday, I posted reading questions for them to use to prepare for discussing their summer reading on Thursday. When we got to the reading groups. I got blank stares. “What reading questions?” Sigh.
The Yearbook students, four juniors and 23 seniors, are lively. More than a few took this class thinking it was easy. I don’t think they understood the number of components involved or the strict deadlines for delivering sections to the printer. We’re working on the basics, and the serious work gets underway after the two-week senior retreat.
I returned for my third semester at MICA on Wednesday, and 15 eager students were waiting for me. Most of the presentations were in the fantasy and science fiction genres instead of a broader variety in previous classes. I concluded the session with a review of story structure, conflict, and other elements, which was well received. They have begun submitting their presentations and scripts, which I spent the weekend reviewing.
Thankfully, we have four days off, meaning we have two weeks of four-day classes before a full schedule. And so begins the year…
#Tags: MICA, St. Vincent Pallotti High School