After a year of planning, lesson delivery, and assessment, teachers often leave school in June feeling burnt out. Summer provides teachers with an opportunity for reflection, rejuvenation, creation, and discovery. Set a goal this summer to learn something new, be daring, and take advantage of learning opportunities.
Here are five simple ways to make the most of your summer weeks.
Take creative breaks from your habitual routines and stuck patterns to work more efficiently and effectively. Take an art class in painting, read or write poetry, participate in a book challenge, or color outside the lines of an adult coloring book.
As you stumble across valuable resources and activities begin compiling a “swipe file” of ideas to draw inspiration from for next years lesson plans. Create a Google Drive folder, Pinterest Board, or Diigo Library to save and categorize your links and notes.
Create a professional social media account and connect with your peers on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Follow educational leaders, interact with other educators, share your findings with conference hashtags, and stay up to date with your favorite blogs. This comprehensive Educator’s Guide to Social Media is a great introduction to getting started with social media.
Better yourself and your teaching while earning continuing education credits. Eduplanet21 offers over 50 online courses that touch on assessment, science, personalized learning, multicultural instruction, and much more.
Teachers often have a drive to want to help others. Spend any extra time this summer volunteering to better your community. You can volunteer reading to children at your community library, walking dogs at your local SPCA, or building homes for Habitat for Humanity. Find the perfect place to volunteer online at Volunteer Match.
These rejuvenating summer activities are great practice and experiment with this summer. It’s good to choose one new thing and give it a go. It might not always be the perfect fit, but trying new things will always make you a better teacher. And if you have any that would go well with this list, please add them in the comments section below.