One of the many reasons why I enjoy life in New England is the opportunity to enjoy all four seasons. Tonight, we’re watching the predictions for Winter Storm Lorraine. There was great rejoicing when we heard the all-call system click on during the last block of today’s schedule. The dulcet tones of our head of school announced that, indeed, there would be a snow day tomorrow. Fast forward to this evening and I’m grading exams, and working on my latest culinary project: making a sourdough starter.
As a newbie to from-scratch sourdough baking, I searched for a system that was clearly laid out and also engaged with others interested in learning this skill. Emilie Raffa’s blog fit the bill for me and I’m currently on Day 3 of this journey. My ultimate goal is to have starter that I can maintain while using it to bake breads and bagels worthy of bearing spreads of our favorite butter, none other than Kerrygold. Be still my heart.
Grandma would be proud.
Now, about that grading. This year, I let my students know that I was starting a 5-day grace period for assignments. Simply put, any assignments that I post in our Google Classroom include a due date/time. Anything completed and returned by then would be eligible for full credit. Late assignments received after that point will be docked a point for each day up until 5 days. After that, the hammer goes down and the grade turns into a 0. Every now and then, a student will see their 0 and tell me that they completed the assignment on time but forgot to turn it in. I find myself asking how we can teach our students to be responsible for their work. What does it take for them to understand the value of staying on top of their tasks and meeting deadlines?
With that said, I wish you all a safe “snow day,” students who continue to grow in their knowledge and maturity, and the opportunity to try new culinary adventures.
NotesByNan 