Teachers, you are aware that in order to perform at your best throughout the summer, you must rest. I wish you would spend time with your loved ones and friends as well as pursue hobbies to restore your vitality.
You want your professional development to refill you if you’re a teacher who needs CEUs and professional development this summer. This blog post will offer some suggestions for what you should do to feel refreshed and link to several courses that can assist you in achieving that. Let’s get started!
1. Get Some Rest
We, instructors, run out of energy at the end of the school year. not just worn out. It can be challenging to take care of oneself at times since we have given so much to the work that we have nothing left to give. I frequently discover that it takes me three to four weeks to get into summer, after which I start to feel myself recovering so that I can start having fun.
My favorite summers are the ones that I begin with a relaxing family trip where we eat out, relax, and do nothing. I discover that I’m more rested and begin to enjoy my summer sooner. I’ve been teaching for 20 years, and every summer, I don’t feel like myself until the first vacation. Why not take a nap and complete it first? For a better future, reinvent yourself.
2. Pursue Fun Hobbies
One error I’ve observed a lot of teachers do is overextend themselves during the summer. Even while painting the house and constructing a “woman shed” in the garden are fantastic ideas, how can you recover if you switch from demanding work at school to demanding labor at home?
So, schedule some time for your enjoyable activities. Pace yourself if you actually enjoy gardening so it doesn’t seem like too much work and you’ll feel refreshed. When you’re prepared, think about ways to use student interest projects and passion projects to bring your passions (and those of your students) into the classroom. If you enjoy creating art, enroll in a class or visit a new location.
3. Play Games
Think about what kinds of games encourage you to interact with people, whether you prefer board games, breakout sessions, adventure games, or your favorite video game. I advise choosing games that foster close ties and discourse. Spend less time playing games that further distance you from other people. I have a few games I enjoy playing, and when I sit down to do so, I set a timer on my Apple Watch.
4. Read a Book (or two)
One of the “greatest hobbies in the world” is reading. Reading has been linked to lower levels of stress and even longer lifespans. The research is astonishing and demonstrates how it can lower blood pressure and heart rates. But be sure to at least set aside some time for leisure reading.
5. Take a Social Media Sabbatical
Every summer, I take at least a week (and perhaps even two) to disconnect totally. Sometimes (shock!) we’ll locate a place to visit without access to the Internet.
While social media can be beneficial, it can also divert our attention from relationships and prevent us from focusing on and growing them.
6. Reestablish Connections with Family and Friends
I made a list of people I wanted to get to know better last summer and sent them breakfast or lunch invitations. On this list, I’ve also included family relatives. By the end of the summer, I had made some new connections that helped me get over my most recent foot injury. I’m really happy I strengthened those bonds.
7. Journal
There are several benefits to journaling. You can work through your emotions in relation to life events and even the academic year. During the academic year, I usually sit down and write about things. At the end of the year, I’ll look back on what I wrote to identify any recurring themes and decide which areas I need to focus on over the coming months. Keeping a journal is a lifelong skill that has improved me as a person. Get yourself a lovely summer notebook.
8. Take Time for Learning
Yes, we can set aside time to grow. But many of us are required to complete a certain amount of coursework.
9. Play with Technology
An excellent time to read blogs and go to conferences regarding educational technology is during the summer. I also spend time experimenting with new tools to determine what I will use in my classroom and how I will communicate with kids.
10. Find Adventurous Ways to Teach in New Ways
Keeping students interested can be difficult. The summer is the ideal time to think about how to involve kids in learning and how to run your classroom. Investments in your classroom will benefit you and your students in the fall (after you’ve had time to relax).
