Alone - #100DayProject - Day 067

5th Avenue Apple Store and elevator.

Walking around the streets of New York City today I had some incredible experiences, which I will share more tomorrow. Even still, I wanted to discuss something that I wasn't totally prepared for, traveling with a bunch of new people who I didn't know. I came on my Driven2Teach experience alone while many others came with their grade-level teams, both options are okayed by the group, but coming as a team is recommended. However, I feel like I have come together with a bunch of other people and created a new team.

I came into this experience alone and wondered how it would go over. I tend to be what I've heard labeled Extroverted Introvert, someone who has many of the qualities of an introvert but can also thrive as an extrovert for short bursts. You enjoy the socialization, but then have to recharge before your next event. I enjoy being with groups and friends, but then I need to back it down and regroup.

Coming alone to this New York Driven2Teach experience has been great because I've been able to meet new people, work with them, learn with them, and then I took a little alone time to regroup and recharge. I split off from the group in order to visit the 5th Avenue Apple Store and see it in all its glory. It was amazing and I loved going and seeing what it was all about. But I really enjoyed the chance to then walk around the streets of New York solo and have a little me-time. After eating an excellent dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. at Times Square, I thought I'd share a little Periscope video of the place and check in with my PLN.

Image Source: Pixabay.com

Was it bad that I spent time alone tonight? Not at all! It was helpful for me, it was what I needed. Then I started to think about the students I would see at Recess all alone and how it would concern me. Why was I concerned? Is it bad for kids to be alone at Recess or do they have to spend every free minute (and sometimes the minutes that aren't free) with someone? No, they shouldn't have to have adults worried about them if they need a couple of minutes alone. Now, I can see a position to worry about if they are always alone, but an occasional solo-Recess is totally fine. We need to remember that when we start to worry.

So, should my fellow #D2T16NYC peeps be worried for me? Maybe, but not due to me taking some alone time as much as it should be that I'm gonna out-learn them!