The pleasure of anticipation

Pleasure is found first in anticipation, later in memory.
― Julian Barnes, Flaubert's Parrot

I am at my happiest when looking forward to something. The planning, especially, gives me joy. As 2015 gets rolling, here are some things I am lucky enough to be looking forward to...

Adventures

• Trip to Borneo for the EARCOS conference in March. The chance to do a two day hike of Mt. Kinabalu.
• Trip to Columbia for a librarian's conference in Cartegena. Definite four day hike to Ciudad Perdida in May.
• Week-long canoe trip to Quetico Park in Canada with grandson Paul in July. 
• Trip to Washington DC with Paul and Miles in July (the annual summer trip with the grandsons).

House move

We are hoping to sell our house and buy one in the Twin Cities. First time in 14 years I've moved and I have never lived in a real city. It's work, but also exciting.

Book

My new book comes out, I believe in April. Great fun to mail copies to friends and relatives. And to have the project DONE! How many months before the drive to start a new one???

Referendum and work-related projects

The possibility of passing a $2.5 per annum technology referendum is pretty good for next month. I am thinking 1:1 projects, tech integration specialists/librarians in all buildings, learning management systems that allow personalization, a great collection of digital resources... A chance to make a real difference in the education of over 9000 kids. Even if the vote goes against us, there are plenty of neat things we can do with the tech we have to move the district forward.

More family

And I am in happy anticipation of greeting a new granddaughter next month!

All these great things coming up make me a pretty happy guy.

So here is my question for educators: How many things are coming up in your school or classroom that your students will anticipate? A field trip? An author visit? A special project? The latest order of new library books for ready for checkout? Time in the Makerspace? A school dance? A basketball game?

Or just the next day without school? Or summer break? 

And even worse, what might your kids be dreading (the antithesis of anticipating)? Standardized testing? Report cards? That unit on the Romantic poets?

I don't know that it is a teacher's job to make kids happy. But it sure doesn't hurt to think about it.