On a Quest

What else could happen? It was only 7:20 a.m. on a damp gray winter morning as I unlocked the front doors to the school so that several bus loads of students could make their way inside. Already I had had to meet the bus outside and bring a sick child in to the nurse’s office, talk to a concerned parent on the phone, and then find someone to watch the classes for three teachers who were going to be late due to a train stopped on the tracks. Just as I was taking my post so that I could begin to greet the students, the secretary told me that I had another important phone call. This time the call was from a distraught fifth grade student, Angelica, who tearfully asked if I could come to pick up her as well as her brothers and her sister, since they had missed the bus. I’ll have to admit I hesitated before answering that I would be right there. I didn’t want to start a precedent with this practice, but I couldn’t bring myself to say no if she wanted to come to school this badly.

When I reached their house, all four children were standing on the front porch waiting for me. All of the children thanked me for coming and wanted to know if they were going to be late. I told them I would do the best I could to get back to school on time. As we started inside the front door, Angelica turned to me and said, “Mrs. Davis is coming this morning to work with our group and I couldn’t miss it.” Now I understood! Mrs. Davis had told me all about her Weblogs group and how hard the students were working. What I didn’t realize was how much the students loved it! As I talked to many of them, they all told me the same thing – they were learning so much and they were having to work very hard. Their enthusiasm was contagious. If they can do it, I can too. I am going to start my very first Weblog!!

My name is Joyce Hooper. I am the principal of J.H. House Elementary School in Conyers, Georgia. Anne Davis, a former teacher from our school who now works at Georgia State University, has worked on special weblog projects with our students for the past two years. You can view these projects by clicking on the links below:

NewsQuest

Thinking & Writing Wrinkles

Idioms Are Fun!

Yes, the childrens' enthusiasm about weblogs was contagious! I'm a principal on a quest to learn more about weblogs and how they can be used with the students and teachers in my school. I'll tell you more about my plans for this weblog in the next post!

Comments

[Nancy]

Wow! I'm very impressed to read your posts! I think you are really leading the way at your school by using your own blog, and I look forward to reading along as your school blog project develops. I've blogged along with Anne and know how enthusiastic she is--you'll really have fun and learn a lot blogging along with her!

[SuperThinker]

Hello Ms. Hooper, it is I, SuperThinker, world famous superblogging superhero, swooping down for a little blogvisit! I am most pleased--happy, enthused, contented--that you have caught the blogbug and now have your very own blog where you can share your ideas with students, parents, staff, and the rest of us out in the blogosphere! I have had the great pleasure--no, the great honor--of blogging along with your wonderful Thinking and Writing Wrinkles bloggers. Your school has much talent--why Emily even guestblogged at my very own "BlogHeads" site! Collaboration is the best part of blogging--especially cross country collaboration! Congratulations to you on your new blog, and your blog project--and may the blogforce be with you!!!

[Alejandro]

I think that they did a right thing because they told Ms. Hooper if she could pick them up at their house because they really wanted to come to school.