My Day – By William

I usually wake up around 6:25. I get dressed, take a shower, brush my teeth, and usually go downstairs around 6:45. My mom makes me breakfast, and it’s usually toast and hot chocolat. I finish breakfast at 6:55, brush my teeth, and get ready for the bus. My mom or dad drives me to CLS (the Rhinebeck elementary school) and we see the Dutchess Day bus. A few minutes after the Dutchess Day bus leaves, the Poughkeepsie Day bus arrives. When I arrive at school it’s 8:15, and Laura usually says that we have to “catch class” because we are late.
Classes go on until break at 10:05. I usually have a bagel and I take a full one because I know that Bud or Cormac are going to take half of it. I try to eat fast because I like going outside to play basketball with my preschool friends, Wynn and Tomas. At lunch and recess I usually eat the cafeteria food and then go outside to play basketball with the 8th graders. The bus usually leaves around 3:15, and I usually play “I spy” with a nice 3rd grader named Kishi. When we get to CLS it’s 4:00. When I get home I play basketball outside, and then go inside to do homework, and then watch TV. I have dinner with my family, and then go to bed around 10:30, and then the cycle starts all over again.
What are your days like?

A Day in the Life – Nachman

Edublogs Challenge 3

I attend Poughkeepsie Day School. I’m lucky that I can wake up pretty late (7:30 a.m.) because my school is only about a mile away from my house, and starts at 8.15 a.m.. It’s a struggle for me to wake up in the morning because I find it hard to fall asleep at night. In fact , sometimes I feel like  by the time I’m actually asleep it’s already morning. Have you ever felt like that? In a daze, I have breakfast from 7:45 to 8:00 A.M., and then leave for school, either by bike or bus. Usually my breakfast of either a pancake or eggs helps to wake me up a little. I really enjoy the fruit and tea (made in a tiny teapot that I found in an antique market in a temple complex in Kyoto this summer) as well.

Photo on 9-30-13 at 4.39 PM

 

Before I tell you about my school day, let me tell you little bit about PDS itself. PDS is a progressive school, meaning that understanding concepts and creativity is emphasized over rote work.  We don’t have any tests or grades, but instead have a written report. In fact, we make a presentation to our parents on our progress every half year! PDS incorporates technology a lot:  we all use laptops to write, research, and even practice math! We use Google docs, so that we can share what we are working on instantly and  there is even  an art with technology class! Do you use computers in school? Do you like using computers?

We don’t have uniforms (which means that I can dress up to the nines!) and our classroom spaces are very flexible. In the middle school, we have a large open space with tables, comfortable chairs, and a “donut” one can sit in and pick books to read from.

 

Off this large space,  there are several smaller classrooms with tables, chairs, whiteboards, and projectors.  We don’t really use textbooks and don’t have individual desks. Instead we store our stuff in our lockers.

School starts at 8:15 with advisory. In advisory, I meet up with all of the other 6th graders (there are only 17 of us). Attendance is taken, and sometimes announcements are made. The school day is broken into 8-9 periods, and sometimes we have double periods in some subjects. Today, I had  math and science class, followed by a 30 minute break where we can usually do anything. However, today the people running for student council (an executive student body) had to give their campaign speeches. I am running for 6th grade representative, and also had to speak which was a little nerve wracking.  After that I had humanities class (where we study many things including reading, writing, history, english, etc.), and then lunch and recess. Since it was a Friday, we had pizza for lunch. After that I had common time and arts. In common time we can either read or study unless there is a special event or a special class. Today I learned about John Burroughs for the first period of common time, and I read for the 2nd period. In arts I had a class called Fabrications Lab. I also have an outdoor drawing art class, and a “mini movies” art class where we use technology to create art. Today we connected circuits on arduinos (mini computers). Then we used a pre written program to see how much light a receptor got when we aimed a low power laser at it.

After school I ride the bus home. I have a quick snack, practice piano, and do my homework. Today, I had soccer practice from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Then I came home and relaxed – because it was the WEEKEND!

 

 

– Nachman

A Day In The Life Of Me (Diego)

Challenge #3

In the morning, I usually get up at 6 o’clock and have about 45 minutes before I leave to catch the bus at 6:45. My dad drives me to my stop and I have my puppy on my lap. I get there and get out, grab my stuff and hop on the bus with my sister. It takes about an hour and a half to get to school. When I get to school, I take my sister to her classroom and walk to the learning commons to say hi to my friends.

In the middle school, we use our computers for almost everything, and I guess tha’ts cool, but maybe one improvement could be using computers less and maybe other thing more. I’m just saying that it would be nice…… but no one would agree with me.

Our school does not have to wear uniforms which is soooo good. I would die if we had to. I don’t think there’s anything you can’t wear, Shirts with stuff on them, any type of pants, it’s really nice being able to wear whatever you want. At my old school you had to wear a blank shirt and black pants, so no hats, no hoods no nothing.

A day in the life of: •Aydin•

Edublogs Challenge #3

In the morning, I  get up at 7:00 to go to school. I go downstairs and eat breakfast. I usually have bacon or serial and I then go back upstairs and get dressed. After that, I brush my teeth, and pack my bag. After that, I usually have free time for about 20-30 minutes. During this time, I usually go up to my room and browse the internet play videos games on my TV. I also have to walk the dog in the morning.

When it’s time to go, I get my bag and get into the car to go to school. Getting to school only takes about 5-10 minutes on a normal day. Then of course I get to school.

School starts at 8:15 — at this time I have advisory. In advisory, we usually talk about how the day (or week) is going to be like or just standard school talk. Another thing that the middle school does in the morning (8:15) is middle school meeting. In middle school meeting, we just talk about what the next couple of days will be like for the whole middle school. Usually a school day takes about 7 hours including breaks. There are 45-90 minute academic and arts classes (Math, Science, Spanish, Humanities, etc.), and 25-40 minutes of break/lunch times.

At the 25 minute break, I (and most students) just go to the cafeteria to get some snacks (Cinnamon buns, Muffins, Bagels, etc.) and hangout. After break, I usually have a 90 minute academic class. Next is lunch (40 minutes). At lunch the middle just eat lunch and go outside or stay inside (optional). For lunch I usually have steak or whatever the cafeteria has to offer. Then, it’s common time or a 45 minute academic class.  

Common time is basically a block where we can stay in the middle school learning commons and silently read or do homework. I like this period!!!

Image provided by:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/poughkeepsiedayschool/

After that, I pack my bag and head to my moms office to drop my stuff off, school is over. After school I have to stay for an extra 1-2 hours because my mom works at the school. During that time I usually go to the after school and play with other kids that are in after, or just stay in my moms office and do homework or play games.

 After that, I go home, do homework and then I just have free time for the rest of the night)(I usually go to sleep).

Image provided by:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/poughkeepsiedayschool/