"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." - W. B. Yeats

We are a few weeks into the school year here at Avonworth, and it has been an exciting time filled with energy and new ideas. As an educator, I find myself thinking about the idea of an extended summer break. Sometimes summer seems like a lost opportunity, while other times summer seems like a fantastic unstructured chance for students and teachers alike to learn and explore (even if the learning and exploring involves Netflix - I mean, there are documentaries too!!) and have experiences that can help all of us, students and teachers alike, forge new and better connections to what we experience in school.

I see this in my students and in my colleagues. Everyone seems to be back with a vigor and an eagerness to take on new ideas. Reading teachers are talking to me about creating written or recorded book recommendations for this blog, science teachers are getting students into the library for research projects and setting a solid foundation of good research principles for the future,  and kids are showing their teacher and each other how to navigate technology that seemed intimidating just a few months ago.

When I first bought my house, a friend told me to take advantage of the energy that new home ownership can impart to get as many projects done as possible because once I had been in the house for a few years, those same projects may seem too daunting or fall lower on my priority list. The new school year has a similiar "fresh out of the gate" rush that comes with an empty planner and a fresh set of pencils. I look forward to sharing with you how I've filled my calendar and all of the awesome learning opportunities that come with those entries!