I know teachers don’t want to do anything in the summer! Summer is the time for teachers to relax and recharge for a new school year. I totally agree! But, in order for you to get control over the beginning of the year’s chaos, you must do a few productive things over the summer.
Don’t make the mistake I did in my first year of teaching. I walked into school the first day of our work week and hadn’t done a thing to prepare. I spent the entire year paying for that mistake!
Check out these 5 ways you can have a productive summer break:
Professional Development
Yes, professional development is required and can be boring, but it doesn’t have to be. There are numerous opportunities to improve your teaching or learn a new skill through professional development.
Districts and regions always offer professional development opportunities in the summer. This summer might be slightly different due to social distances practices. Check out your region’s website to see what virtual professional development classes are being offered.
Have you ever wanted to go to a teacher conference, but the price of admission and travel held you back? This summer there are a variety of virtual teacher conferences! Here a few:
Get Your Virtual Teach On– June 1-2 The incredible speakers will help you change your life and conquer your classroom goals. It is only $70 for this incredibly popular conference.
Total Teach Summit– July 11-12 It is FREE if you watch it live. There is a small price for the recorded sessions. The variety of speakers will touch on many different teaching topics, so you are bound to find something that interests you.
Hive Summit– August 1-14 This conference is FREE. It includes a variety of speakers who will focus on how to create engaging lessons in your classroom. If you’re looking for tips on adding technology and creativity to your lesson, this is the conference for you!
Planning
Whether you are planning with your team or by yourself, you will reap the benefits of being prepared once August rolls around.
This summer’s planning may look slightly different. You may have to make two plans
- One for school as normal
- One for school online
Nobody has a crystal ball, so we don’t know what the future will bring. Your best bet is to be prepared for both scenarios.
The first step is to make a year at a glance plan. Plug in all the grade level standards for each subject to make sure you hit everything.
If you’re struggling with fitting grammar into your writing lesson plans, let me help you! I created a FREE Grammar Pacing Guide for 4th grade teachers. This will help you fit in all those necessary grammar skills that students must know before they begin to conquer STAAR revise and edit questions. All you have to do is leave your information below, and I’ll send it to your inbox!
Room Decor
Millions of classroom decorating ideas can be found on the pages of instagram and pinterest. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. Summer is the perfect time to organize these ideas.
When you come across a classroom decoration idea that you love, screenshot it, and put it in a folder on your phone. Once you know what your classroom looks like, you can start planning out your setup and decor. Reference the pictures you have saved and start looking for sales. It’s always better to buy little by little, so you don’t break the bank.
If you’re curious about my 4th grade classroom setup, check out my blog post: My Fourth Grade Classroom Set-Up
Also, if possible get into your classroom to start your setup process before the work week. This will help you work little by little and not feel completely overwhelmed
Read
The school year is so busy. On the other hand, summer is the time to slow down. Take advantage of the time and sunshine, grab a book, and read.
Tons of children’s novels are released every year. Summer is the perfect time for catching up on the new titles. Maybe you will find something new to read to your class.
There are many books written for educators. Additionally, you could suggest a school book club to hold everyone accountable for their reading and of course have a little fun at the book club meetings.
Here are a few titles for educators:
If you are feeling teacher burnout, this book will reignite your passion. Stress is inevitable in teaching. These tips will help with stress management by creating a shift in your mindset.
This is an interesting, true story of a young girl who didn’t step foot in a school until she was seventeen years old. Despite her traumatic childhood, she is able to overcome obstacles in order to succeed at the world’s toughest universities.
The Writing Strategies Book and The Reading Strategies Book
Jennifer Serravallo shares many strategies in these books that will transform your writing and reading teaching in both whole group and small group settings. The tips she shares are easily implemented in elementary classrooms. These books are pricey, so check in your school or district library.
Summer Job
I know the last thing you want to do is work, but let’s face it most teachers need some extra cash! Summer is the perfect time to earn money. What should you do?
- Summer School- it’s an obvious choice. Summer school has its pros- shorter hours, a relaxed dress code, good pay. It also has some cons- no break from teaching, no curriculum, and little support.
- Tutoring- You can set your own hours. Also, working one on one with a student will be a breeze for a pro like you! You can promote yourself at your own campus or in a neighborhood Facebook group.
- Online teaching- You can make a lot of money per hour wearing your pajamas and staying home. The downside is the hours are very early in the morning or very late at night.
- Virtual assistant- Many online entrepreneurs are looking for virtual assistants. How do you find them? Join a Facebook group for VA’s. They will ask you to do tasks such as pins on Pinterest, editing, Instagram, and Facebook posts.
- Store clerk- working in retail might not be possible this year, but maybe a grocery store? It’s relatively easy and completely different from teaching! Being a clerk at a grocery store is perfect for someone who is social and looking to get out of the house.
These 5 ways for teachers to have a productive summer are guaranteed to help you have a low stress school year.
Although, you want to be productive in your summer break, be sure to take time for yourself and RELAX!
