I know. It’s summer break. When is the break, right? I do enjoy spending some time relaxing, quality time with my family, and doing some of my non-school related hobbies. I also like to take my summer prepping for the next school year. A teachers job never ends, right? Here are my tips for How Teachers Can Make The Most Of Summer Break.
Evaluate Last Year
This is how I start. I take note of all the things that worked and ones that didn’t. I will organize what I have and take notes of what I need. You could use a special notebook for keeping all these notes.
Things that I consider:
What worked? {Like These 10 Things That Made My Kindergarten Year Awesome}
What didn’t work?
Did one routine work better over another?
What did my students respond best to?
Which area of learning have the best activities? Which didn’t?
Which types of activities worked the best?
I use these reflections to help plan the next school year.
Get Organized
This is also the time I use to get organized. Organize subject printables, classroom supplies, and my planner.
I like to organize supplies and printables first to see what I have that I could possibly use again. Then I will organize my plan for curriculum. I have used binders, folders, bins, etc. Which ever way works best for you, use it.
{Read More: Classroom Organization}
Lesson Plans:
I don’t create full lesson plans for every week of the next school year. I try to do full lesson plans for the first few weeks and then plan the topics of the rest.
Anchor Charts:
I also like to prep anchor charts. They are incredible for classroom management and a must have for me. {Read More: Classroom Management Anchor Charts}
Classroom Library:
I also like to organize our classroom library. I feel like my students respond better when every book has a home and it is organized. See how I did it here: Classroom Library Organization. I also make a note of books that need to be replaced. It is inevitable that books are going to get ruined over time but I know some super good secrets of where to get books for cheap!
Classroom DIY:
Another thing I like to prep is things that I DIY. Anything that I can make on my own to save extra money is high on my list. For example I like to make my own slime and game spinners.
Classroom Decor
I also like to plan my classroom. How I am going to organize it and how I am going to decorate it. This is helpful for knowing if and what supplies I need.
{This is what my classroom looked like at the beginning of this past school year: Kindergarten Classroom Reveal}
How Teachers Can Make The Most Of Summer Break by Keeping Up On Reading
Remember that fancy notebook from above? I use it to take notes on what I read. I like to keep up on personal growth or growth as a teacher. It is the perfect time to enjoy the sun and get in some reading.
If you are looking for something amazing to read, I have the answer for you. One of my favorite blogging slash co-kindergarten teacher friends and I created a summer reading program for teachers.
Every Thursday, starting June 8th, Kindergarten Smorgasbord and I will share a new book that we can all read and study. These books will help us all, help each other be better teachers. You can read all about it here.
Take Time To Relax!
Even though we, as teachers, have long lists of things to do and a whole school year to prep for, we need to remember to relax. It is the one time of that we can create our own schedules and work on our own time. Make the most of the extra time but remember a school year can’t run smooth if the teacher is burnt out completely. I hope this gave you some useful ideas and suggestions on How Teachers Can Make The Most Of Summer Break.
Join In On The Fun!
