Yesterday marked the beginning of a new term and a whole new group of students for me. I started off the day by showing Google’s 2013 year in review. This is a 90 second compilation of some of the greatest moments from 2013. Some are momentous (same-sex marriage, the appointment of a new pope, the death of Nelson Mandela, etc.) Some are more silly (the harlem shake, what the fox says, the woman who quit her job and posted that epic dance video, etc.) And several fit somewhere in the middle of these extremes.
After showing the video, I asked students to briefly reflect on their own lives in 2013. I asked each student to share one thing that we might see in a 2013 year in review video that was based on her or his own life. Some of their answers revealed fun adventures all over the world – places like Spain, Italy, Alaska, Idaho, South Africa and Japan. Others revealed a focus on family time, mentioning times around the dinner table or a family campout in the backyard. Some students mentioned a new skill or sport that they had picked up in 2013. I was impressed with the thoughtfulness of most answers and I ended each block feeling like I knew this new group of students better than I would have expected.
We’re only 9 days in but I wonder what scenes will be included in the 2014 year in review (for Google, for each of my students, and for me).
Mr. Zerwas Teaches Here 