We are coming into this summer with a lot of unknown.
There are SO many questions we have, but the reality is we don’t have control over most of it.
But we do have total control over 3 things that would make a HUGE impact on both students and ourselves.
Here are 3 things that I think teachers simply MUST do this summer:
1.) Read a Book that is NOT for school!
Teachers love reading books about education. No judgement, I get it.
I LOVE reading. I LOVE writing books for fellow teachers. But this summer, I’m not reading or writing about education.
I’m picked up a book that just sounds good. A book to get lost in. Not a book to take notes in.
Here is my pick:
It’s been #1 on New York Time’s best selling list and #1 on Amazon for weeks.
I’m pumped to check it out.
And guess what, I will learning nothing about student engagement or differentiated instruction from it.
I’m cool with that!
What’s your book?
2.) Pick Just 1 Idea and Become Obsessed With It
Our Pinterest boards start exploding in the summer.
We come up with 2,781 ideas every June and July. We are obsessed with learning. And that’s a good thing.
But what ends up happening is we implement very few of them because we become so overwhelmed with ideas.
So pick just 1.
Find one that you are SUPER passionate about and roll with it.
Here is my “Pick 1” from 2012
Yes, 8 years ago…..
That may just look like a random duck whistle and tally marks, but I promise you it is so much more than that.
That is total student engagement. That is aligned to curriculum. That is something my students get PUMPED about.
In fact, it is in the top 20 best ideas I’ve ever come up with, which is why it got an entire chapter in my book called Game Changers.
I became obsessed with “QUACKS” in the summer of 2012 and I didn’t look back.
Now in 2020 it’s still a rock-solid idea because I put a ton of focus on it that summer.
What’s your one idea?
3.) Dedicate 1 day to your school parking lot
Sounds random right?
It’s not.
Take one day this summer and get up like normal.
Get dressed “for school” and pour a travel mug of coffee like you normally would.
If your commute is 45 minutes, that’s ok. If your commute is 2 minutes, that’s ok too.
Go to your parking lot of your school and take some time to just sit and reflect.
No need to go into your classroom or hallway.
Put the car in park and pray over your building.
If prayer isn’t something that is part of your life, reflect, meditate, take a moment of silence.
The purpose here is to prepare for what August looks like.
I’m exciting to pray for past students, future students, and the overall education system.
This is a way to breathe life back into a building that normally is so full of life.
It’s going to be beautiful.
What day will you put on the calendar?
That’s it friends.
3 simple but powerful things that just totally need to do this summer.
I’d love to hear your choices!
Tag me in a post on Instagram or Facebook and share your responses.
We got this!