Teachers: What are your summer goals?

In nervous anticipation future sixth grade students timidly walk the halls of their future school. They wonder, “Will this be my classroom?” “Oh, that teacher seems nice, I hope I get him!” The parents wonder, “Will my child be cared for?” “Will she receive a quality education?”

These are all natural questions, and the best part is that teachers have a fresh start every year to answer the questions and provide those answers in even greater ways.

This leaves us with the question, “How do we prepare?”

The following are my quick thoughts as a sixth grade ELA/Reading teacher. It’s fun to think of the possibilities!

Spend June (all of June) on reading, and exploring passions. Teachers must feed their minds beyond tweets and posts, which meet the needs of a fast paced school year, but June is a time to rejuvenate.

• I plan to read 10 books of this list in June for Donalyn Miller’s Summer #bookaday challenge on Twitter. Check out the book list here: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/284.Middle_School_Book_List
• I plan to go fishing at the lake next to the library with my children. Libraries are free and fishing is fairly cheap. Luckily the lake sits adjacent to my favorite library. What a peaceful day!
• I will not blog or tweet in June. I will fast in order open my mind to new ideas and perspectives. Too much media can make you cranky and dull. Free your mind and the rest will follow!
• As July roles around I will think more of the classroom. Fresh decor, quotes, and positivity.
• I’ll create a #GPS #TLAP sign for outside my classroom.  Check out the video here: Summer Challenge for Educators!
• I will build a holder for all cellphones. No phones for learning in Mrs. Farmer’s class.
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• I will follow a 20/60/20 rule. 20 percent of the curriculum will focus on the arts (drama,speech,creative arts) 60 percent will focus on the core standards of (close reading, writing, research, grammar utilizing technology 1:1 instruction w/Chromebooks.) 20 percent will focus on literature that inspires through (novels, short stories, poems, blogging, and creative writing.)

This is just a quick outline. So, what are you planning? What are your summer goals?

A rested teacher is a happier and healthier teacher. The time is there for a reason. Enjoy the simple moments of life and take a breathe.