Week 1 of a new semester

This semester is the beginning of a new chapter for me in my teaching career. It's the first time since 2007 when I started teaching that I don't have at least 1 block of Spanish. I have slowly been increasing blocks in the ADST family studies course area as well as expanding my interest in teaching career-life education. I have found a great passion in these subjects.

The first week is about building relationships, getting to know the students, setting routines. To start, I introduce myself as Lynnette. I do not use a title because I am not above my learners. Often I am learning beside them. I guide them, and they teach me. This leads to the routine of how I begin all of my classes regardless of subject with circle time. It's how I build community. I emphasize that "no one is behind, no one is in front, no one is above, and no one is below. In the circle and in this classroom we are equal."

I also take time to discuss the BC Curriculum that we will be exploring (note the verb: explore and not cover). We discuss which content topics are of most interest to the class, I do activities to uncover and access their prior knowledge in order to know where to begin, we ask questions. I take all of this information, and then start a class learning wall where we will track our learning, adding content, questions, pictures, make connections, etc.