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Ah, summer vacation! The time when teachers can finally break free from the clutches of students, exams, and endless lesson planning. It's a time to kick back, relax, and forget about school... Or is it?
Many teachers count the days until the last bell before summer vacation sounds. At my school, our science teacher begins writing the countdown on the teacher’s lounge whiteboard the day we return from winter break.
The end of the school year is incredibly stressful, and anticipation of summer freedom doesn’t make it any easier to get through. This is the time of year when you begin to panic because you realize you don’t have enough time left to get through all your required curriculum. This is partly because state testing and other end-of-year assessments all encroach on the limited days left and because there are the obligatory awards assemblies and the student “fun” days. There’s also finding time to wrap up your classroom for the summer, collect textbooks and computers and hand out registration packets for next year. Next year…. Ugh! The last thing any teacher wants to think about right now.
So when that final bell sounds, ending the school year, lock your classroom door, turn in the end-of-year paperwork, and take some time away from all of it.
Well, enough time to catch your breath and refocus.
Because if you are a weirdo like me, you love using summer to jump-start planning for the next school year!
WAIT! Before you roll your eyes and skip to the next podcast, hear me out. This episode actually discusses how to make your summer MORE relaxing and the beginning of the next school year much less stressful. So go get one of those fancy drinks with an umbrella and hit play to find out the secret way Anne and Jen totally forget about school. Sorry, controversial substances are not included!
Wanna read it instead? Visit TransparencyinTeaching.com "Maximizing Summer Vacation: How Planning Sets Teachers Up for Success"
