There is a lot of potential in a class where we look directly at student interests, autonomy, and creativity. With these starting points, the goal of helping students develop their own styles, confidence, and learn dozens of important lessons along the way. I’m obsessed with the idea, an idea that hasn’t really been realized yet. It is slow going as I build essentially everything from scratch and invent ways to make it work.

It is hard to explain to someone walking in ‘cold’ what it is that I am doing. It doesn’t fit the normal school vernacular or anything that gets talked about.

Along with that, I am learning so much about student engagement and the intersection between middle school development and independent learning. I wonder how much of my time is re-inventing the wheel – how much research has been published that would give me insights into what I am seeing in my room.

The most painful part is this – I feel like I have over promised and under delivered so far. It’s taking so much more effort than I anticipated. It is starting to fall into place suddenly, but the immense job might be up to 50% (like I declared it was a month ago).

Sigh.

Better see what I can accomplish before/after a full school day tomorrow.