We’ve reached the end of another school year. Chances are, you are exhausted and ready for a break.
You might also be thinking about what you want to do better or differently in your classroom next year.
So this post will give you five tips for wrapping up the school year, but I’m also giving you two levels of suggestions.
Level one will be for the “I’m ready to think about this!” folks.
Level two will be for the “I’m at low capacity right now” folks.
Please know I am not suggesting you do any school work or planning over the summer. Summer is a mini-sabbatical for teachers, a time to rest and rejuvenate. But sometimes, even as we rest and rejuvenate, we still get great ideas for next year. That is fine too! Creating materials or anything that will help make your teaching life easier in the fall is also fine to do, as long as it gives you energy.
The bottom line is that your summer should be spent doing what works for you.
Tip #1 – Clean and organize
I’m ready to think about this!
As you clean up and pack up your classroom, resist the urge to cram everything in the cabinets or closet and race out the door. (I know it’s a strong urge!)
Think about “future you” and what will make you happy or ease your stress when you see those cabinets or closets in August.
If possible, use this time to toss, recycle, or give away every paper or resource that you have not used (and probably never will).
Some good places to start: your classroom library (weeding out the ratty books or books that nobody ever reads anyway), centers or game resources, teacher resources or files.
I don’t have the capacity right now.
If you can’t go through everything, just choose one part of your classroom to clean out/organize and save other areas for back to school time.
Tip #2 – Prepare for next year’s first week of school
I’m ready to think about this!
What can you prep for next year’s first week of school? Are there activities or resources that you enjoyed using this year? Could you go ahead and make those copies or prep those resources in some way?
Consider creating a “first day back” box. Put the supplies you will need to set up your classroom in this box. Then you don’t have to hunt through several boxes to find your stapler.
Some suggestions for your “first day back” box: stapler and staples, a paper planner for next year (if you use one), your favorite pens, Expo markers and an eraser, tape, and any back-to-school resources you want to have handy. You get the idea.
Store this box where it will be easy to access quickly, or think about taking it home and storing it there until August.
I don’t have the capacity right now.
If you don’t have the capacity for any of this, just list the activities or resources you might use next year. You might even categorize the list by what needs to be copied, what needs to be prepped, etc. Then leave it alone until you’re ready to look at it again.
Tip #3 – Reflect on last year
I’m ready to think about this!
Grab a notebook or journal and your favorite pens.
Here are some questions to get your thinking started. You don’t have to answer them all!
Jot down whatever comes to mind in list form and know you can always return to this list later and add more detail.
You might want to use a separate page for each question or just answer the questions in any order that works for you. There is no right or wrong way to do this reflection.
*What worked well?
*What are you most proud of?
*What drove you crazy?
*What part of your day annoyed you the most?
*What drained your energy?
*What took up too much of your time?
*What would you like to spend more of your time doing?
*Which classroom procedures worked well?
*Which classroom procedures did NOT work well?
*What is something you would like to try or implement that you did not have the bandwidth for doing this year?
*What teacher professional books or courses or learning would help you for next year?
*What children’s books would you like to read to prep for next year? (These could be for reading groups, book clubs, or read-alouds.)
*What were some good habits that worked for you this year? (These could be personal, work, or healthcare habits.)
*What habits would you like to implement or be more consistent with next year?
I’m at low capacity right now.
Save these questions for later in the summer or when you’re in back-to-school mode.
Tip #4 – Plan your summer
I’m ready to think about this!
Here is a previous post I’ve written about planning your summer!
I’m at low capacity right now.
Enjoy a “Sloth Week,” then do some planning so you’ll have an awesome summer.
Here are my easy directions for “Sloth Week.” Once I get out of school, I will spend the next week (or so) as a sloth. I will do nothing besides family /friend events I want to attend or participate in. No medical appointments. No errands I do not want to run. No reading anything education-related.
Here’s what I will do: spend time outside, spend time alone (or with my very favorite people), sleep more, watch anything on TV or streaming that I want to watch, and read beach-type books. I highly recommend Sloth Week. It helps me recover from a busy and stressful school year and eases me into a relaxing (but somewhat productive) summer.
Tip #5 – Planning for next year
I’m ready to think about this!
If you want to do some planning, here are some areas to prioritize:
*how you’ll organize your literacy block
*how you’ll organize your math block
*changes for content area instruction
*routines & procedures that you want to change or implement differently next year
*spending time with your PLC or grade level team (even just one coffee or drinks date)
*thinking through your pacing guide for the year (literacy, math, content areas)
*a homework plan/policy
Something else to consider for next year – are there any big projects or field trips you would like to implement next year?
Spend some time jotting down some notes about that. What needs to be planned in advance? Who might need to approve the project or field trip?
You don’t have to do any of these things now, but if you break down that big project into smaller steps, you’ll have a to-do list ready for when it’s time to do the big planning.
Another tip for big projects and field trips: consider planning these for January through April. Those are the months when we often get in a funk because we’re tired. Having something fun or unexpected to look forward to during those months will boost everyone’s energy!
I’m at low capacity right now.
Ignore this for now. Come back to it when you’re ready.
Tip #6 – Learn new things!
I’m ready to do this!
Look back at your reflection list. What are the areas where you want to improve or make some changes? What are some topics you would like to learn more about?
If your district or state offers free professional development in the areas you are interested in, consider taking advantage of it.
Other options are to look for free or low-cost professional development sessions online. Google is your friend.
Same with professional books. Does your school or district reimburse you for books you buy for yourself? (Our PTA provides a small amount of teacher discretionary money, for example.)
If not, consider whether buying the book is within your budget. Even if it’s not, you can still learn about topics by reading blog posts or searching for other free content online.
Another option is to join Facebook groups for your grade level or subject area. You can often find great ideas in those teacher groups.
I’m at low capacity right now.
Read or watch content just for fun. You likely did not have enough time for that during the school year anyway, so take this time for yourself and do not feel guilty!
I hope you take some much-needed time to rest and reflect over the summer! If you want a 5-day self-care routine, try my free course!