For me, the most challenging aspect of the beginning of the school year is scheduling. Hands down.

In some schools, it involves creating a dance schedule that serves the entire student body equitably, takes into account furlough days, and doesn’t cut into any grade level’s ELD (English Language Development), PE, recess, lunch, computer, or library. Another parameter to take into consideration, in bilingual education, is that at the end of the day certain grade levels will be in their primary language groupings instead of together as a homeroom…..and then what about SPACE? Are we going to dance in the classroom? Outside? A multipurpose room? In the cafetorium (cafeteria + auditorium)? Amphitheatre? All of these spaces have their bookings as well. And then what does the lunch schedule look like? Will we be sharing the space with another class? With a grade level at lunch? It’s quite perplexing when you’re in the middle of it, trying to sort it all out. And I’m only there for one day a week! I can empathize with teachers, administrators, and principals that have to do this for every minute of instructional time. It’s lots of work!