While students count down the days until their summer vacation, where they spend time with friends, enjoy outdoor activities, and have more free time than ever, educators are also awaiting their break. Summer break is not only a perk for students, but also for educators, as they also have a few months off to recharge, level up, and reflect. While it’s important for teachers and faculty to prepare for the year ahead during their off time, it is also important for them to take them for themselves, rest, and reflect, as the next school year is only a few months away.
Here are 3 ways that dedicated educators spend their time during the summer:
Rest and Recharge
“Smart teachers schedule genuine downtime.” Teachers run on full power during the school year. Balancing lesson plans, creative input, emotional investment, student support, grading, and instruction… just to mention a few- takes an extreme amount of effort. Educators should use their summertime to simply take a break and catch their breath. Resting and recharging can also help prevent teacher burnout, which significantly impacts instructional quality and achievement.
Professional Development
Continuous improvement helps teachers stay up to date on educational trends, teaching methods, and the evolving needs of their students. After some scheduled downtime, it’s important for educators to make time during their summer breaks to attend a few workshops and enroll in a few courses that help them level up their teaching skills. Summer is a great time for these professional development courses as teachers are free of their usual classrooms and can dedicate more of their time and energy.
Reflect and Celebrate Wins
Often, many educators find themselves reflecting on what they could have done differently or missed out on entirely. While this sometimes may be necessary for growth, it also can lead to feeling depleted after a long school year. In order to reframe this way of thinking, educators should reflect on the wins and celebrate that they accomplished during the school year, while they are preparing for the year ahead during their summer break. This type of reflection will create a positive mindset, along with a bank of positive experiences to later draw from when feeling discouraged.
As an educator, how do you spend your summers? Let us know in the comments below!
Resources:
What Teachers Do in Summer: 8 Ways Dedicated Educators Spend Their Break
New Survey Shows What Teachers Are Really Doing This Summer
How Teachers Can Recharge and Be Productive During Summer | Edutopia
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