Rah rah rah be true to your school (Beach Boys)

What's that sound?

That's the sound of teachers in the southern hemisphere gearing up and thinking about the first few weeks of a new school year.

Here are some ideas to help with that courtesy of the Ditch That Texbook folk. You're welcome!

I usually played such things as rough-neck and thug (Captain Beefheart)

Roughing it in Eskdale with the Year 11's Part 1

Two words: school camp. 

Some love 'em (like me), some folks don't. It's all good.

Roughing it in Eskdale Part 2

This first week for the term, at our school, is all about a gentle start - just seniors and a load of non classroom activities - camps (Year 11 and 13), trips to universities, and visiting speakers is the order of the day.

The start of a school year is always different in each school. Some schools stagger the start with different year groups, some get everybody in. Some launch into classes straight away, some don't.

Each one is valid.

The point is we've started the year and the next 10 weeks at school will be vibrant, exciting, frustrating, rewarding, challenging and full to the brim of potential!!

So - let's get into it via:

1 Tube map education
Say what? What does the London Underground have to do with education? I like this analogy.

2 Engagement
I'm keen to immediately engage my students. I'm always thinking of ways to do this and always looking for the disengaged. Get 'em on board early and life is a lot easier for the next 10 weeks.

3 Try something new
It's a new year - fresh starts for students and time to retire some old texts and embrace some fresh ideas. Everyone needs a reminder about this!

4 Blended learning
Time also for a reminder about establishing a good classroom culture for blended learning.

5 Wildly audacious goals
This is the best time of the year coz we can all have wildly audacious goals!

No matter what we get out of this I know I know we'll never forget (Deep Purple)

It's started!

The new school year is here and, well, it's the same as the start to every one of my last 31 school years really.

Let me take you back to the end of January 1983.

I'd graduated from Auckland's Secondary Teachers' College at the end of 1982 and got a job in December at New Plymouth Boys' High School.

I'd had a great summer holiday staying with friends at Oakura beach and had moved into a flat in the Spotswood area of New Plymouth with two girls.

I turned up for my first day at NPBHS and sat through a day of admin messages, induction type activities (a tour of the boarding school was included) and PD for staff.

I got home to my new flat and took two Panadol. My brain was full to overflowing with information. I had eye strain because I'd concentrated so much on the various speakers. I had a fistful of paper including a staff manual. I went to bed early; I was exhausted!

Fast forward 31 years. 

I turned up for my first 2014 day at Woodford House and sat through a day of admin messages, induction type activities (a tour of the boarding school was included) and PD for staff.

I got home to my Otane home and took two Panadol. My brain was full to overflowing with information. I had eye strain because I'd concentrated so much on the various speakers. I had a fistful of paper including a staff manual. I went to bed early, exhausted!

Is there no other way possible to start a new school year?

I don't wish to begin the new year in non 'I'm so excited' mode but... in this new age of instant technology, is there no way we can somehow bypass the administrivia?

What about some fun? Some house rivalry maybe? Some games? A pub quiz about procedures maybe? How about the staff manual as an email attachment with hyperlinks attached?

Come on - we're innovative people right - let's do something different. Please.

I'd love to return home after my first day of a new school year and not have to immediately reach for the paracetamol.