Are You Ready for Summer Yet? Ways to Prepare for Summer Break

When testing ends, our thoughts turn to summer. I never could understand why we still had school after testing was over??????  Makes no sense to me.  Students have mentally turned off academics in favor of dreams of summer. And, to be truthful, so have teachers.  We're ready for that mental break, for some R&R, to sleep in, to eat at a normal pace, to give our teacher voices a break.  But, are you ready?  I like to plan ahead, procrastination is not my thing. And, for that matter, neither is going to the classroom to work during my summer break. I want a break from the classroom.  I want to see the sky and clouds, to know that when my alarm goes off my feet don't have to hit the ground running. I want to enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of iced- raspberry tea on the back porch. I want to unwind. In short, I want to rest and be free of time restrictions.

For me, preparing for summer break is a tradition. I start taking a few extra minutes here and there to get my room ready.  Where do the minutes come from? Ten minutes of plan time, five minutes before school, 30 minutes after school. Where ever I can find them! Even though, I am mentally ready for a break, I know that by taking a few extra minutes now, I will not be so pushed this fall.

Fortunately, for most of my years, I have been able to leave my room pretty much together. Some years I even put up my "Welcome Back to School" bulletin boards and cover them with a piece of bulletin board paper or cloth.  I've even gone as far as writing my lessons for that first week of school.  Why?  So, I don't worry and think about being prepared for 'Week One' over the summer. I can rest knowing that my room is ready and my first week is ready.

Impossible you say!  My district requires me to take down bulletin board displays and pack everything away.  If that is the case, then pack your "Welcome Back" things in a place where you have easy access (and will remember) so that putting them up won't be a major chore.  Don't just shove stuff here and push stuff there. Take your time now to organize and put things up where they belong. It will save you time this fall.

Does your school pass out lesson planning books in advance?  Or do you plan on the computer? Did you have a great idea for back to school?  Put it in your plans. What if your plan flopped? Hopefully, you put notations in your plans telling you what went wrong and why. You can decide if the plan is worth saving or not. If it is, tweak it now. If not, start shopping around for ideas.  I have a free back to school plan that has served me faithfully for years. Better yet, it lasts longer than a day!

 I enjoy having time during the summer to plan lessons. I love to write lessons! (Call me crazy!) Summer is perfect because I have time to search out new ideas and write new plans. I am not rushed or pushed. If you are one of the crazy planners, like me, allow yourself time to check out resources and ideas.

Above all, plan on a great and relaxing summer!
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