Well–ready or not, school will be starting soon, For some of us, it's already started. My first day is next Wednesday. Many colleges, like mine, are in session for 3 months, they then adjourn at Thanksgiving, and then don't resume till January. It'll be the longest winter break that I've ever experienced. That actually sounds pretty awesome.

If you're like me, the idea of jumping back in the saddle comes with joy, but a few mixed feelings. There have been aspects of my life over the last few months which have been positive. I'll touch on some of those in this episode.

Last spring, I taught virtually like everyone else. This fall, I'll be teaching a blended class. It's a new challenge for me and I'm excited about it. Without a doubt, I'm mostly glad I'm returning next week. But, I haven't been physically in front of students for months. While I'm looking forward to it, there's a small tinge of, Can I still do this? I imagine I'm not alone in this emotion. My prediction is that the vast majority of us will feel totally at home and thrilled to be back in our natural habitat.

This program might stoke some ideas for that first week with students. Are you going to talk about the long absence from school? Are you going to address virtual learning last spring?

On a TYPICAL first week of school, educators often incorporate some type of prompt which challenges students to reflect on their summer vacation. This first week of school year won't be a typical.