Well, somehow we all made it through the 2020-2021 school year! As a photographer, I always capture a lot of photos in my classroom. This year, though, with so much instruction taking place virtually, I also had to rely on students to take some of the photos of our major classroom events from home. Here is a look back at some of the photos that defined this school year for me and my students.
Student desks spaced six feet apart, where they remained for the duration of the school year.
Me ready to teach my first hybrid lesson in September!
Teachers took selfies sharing how many years we have been teaching to be shared on the school’s Facebook page.
Our first socially distanced lunch outside!
Students playing one of the first Gimkit games of the school year.
Student projects hung around the bulletin board outside my classroom. The image is one I purchased a digital download of on Etsy.
Zoe the therapy dog makes her rounds around the school to brighten staff and students’ days.
Students enjoying time outside during their lunch hour.
We had two Halloween dress up days (one for each cohort). For the first one, I dressed up as Minnie Mouse.
A student’s ratatouille prepared for our National French Week virtual taste test. Click here to read more about this lesson.
A student’s bûche de Noël made for our virtual lesson before December break.
A student’s crêpe prepared for our virtual Chandeleur lesson. Click here to read more about the lesson.
A student makes a drawing in Nearpod to illustrate a vocabulary term. Click here to read more about how I used Nearpod this year.
A student’s colorful galette des rois (above) and mask (below) created for our virtual Mardi Gras lesson. Click here to read more about the lesson.
A student participating in Gimkit Draw That, which became quite a hit at the end of the year. Click here to read more about the game.
Our beautiful school in spring!
Zoe the therapy dog poses in front of the spring blooms.
Blooms I get to admire from my classroom window.
A reflection of my classroom window, with Paris decals I bought at Epcot.
A view through my window of the socially distanced desks, with a reflection of the blooms.
Our school has a longstanding tradition of putting flamingo lawn ornaments in the courtyard every spring! It started as a prank decades ago and it just came back every year!
Blooket became another favorite game this year (shown here in Crypto Hack mode). Click here to read my thoughts on Blooket and other similar games.
This year a lot of dear colleagues in my building retired, including a former teacher of mine. She recently lent me a binder full of artifacts from our old 6th grade team field trip to the Bronx Zoo with this adorable Post-It note attached. Retirements definitely bring the tears out of me!
One last photo of Zoe the therapy dog, during a visit to French class!
Picnic tables for outdoor lunches which were loaned to us from the New York Racing Association.
In early June I held an outdoor gathering for my students who had been virtual learners for the entire year, and I provided Orangina and French treats. It was so nice to get to meet some of these students for the first time and connect face to face.
One of my students in the Yearbook Club took this photo of me and got this quote for this year’s yearbook!
This sweet little baby fawn was found by staff members outside our building on a June morning. Sadly, he was not in great health, but he was transported to a local facility to receive proper care.
Our middle schoolers put together a rousing performance of High School Musical Jr. in June, after months of virtual and eventually outdoor in-person rehearsals.
The woods behind our school provided a nice, cool, space for outdoor walks and lessons during the fall and spring.
My retiring colleague Lisa dances with her beautiful granddaughter Ruby at our building retirement party.
My last early morning wake up call of the school year! Both alarms now set to OFF!
And that’s a wrap! Do you have a favorite photo from this school year?
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