Unprecedented

This summer I had planned on finishing the editing of our app as well as completing a number of tasks that have been sitting on the back burner. As life tends to do, however, barriers are thrown up and other priorities require attention. My father has become quite ill and on top of this, at the end of August we realized that we would need to move my mother-in-law from Montreal to Hamilton and have been scrambling to get this organized. I had thought that this past weekend would provide time to finally edit the app, but it was not to be. Life happens. As it turns out though, while stressful and worrying, these barriers have had one positive outcome. By preventing me from editing the app, they have provided me with yet another opportunity to observe the impact of this project.

Normally, at the end of a school year, any work that has not been completed is forgotten. Out of sight, out of mind. This is not the case with the app project. Today during the first day back to school, my students from last year who are now in grade 7 sought me out to find out the progress of the app. The commitment to finish is front and centre. They asked, "What do we need to do next? and Are we going to have a meeting?" They are ready to pick up right where we left off even though they are no longer in my class. This project is that important to them.

I am so glad I did not finish the editing for them. They are determined to put the final touches on themselves. Ian, Esa and Cynthia, I can't thank you enough for providing me with this project that has shown me just what students will commit to when the task is truly meaningful.