The Empty Classroom: Early Summer Ideas for Teachers

You made it! The final bell rang at the end of the last day of school. And though you may have been counting down the days (and hours!) until summer, there is still a strange, wistful feeling that comes with the end of a school year. Your classroom has a strange echo. The halls of the school are quiet. And you may not be used to not having the weight of 20 or 30 (or more…) little lives in your care.

But, don’t despair. After a short adjustment period, you will be ready to get your summer going! To help the transition, here are a few things you can do in that space between the last day of school and the middle of summer:

Pack it Up

Even if you are not moving classrooms or needing to pack up everything so the school can do some summer cleaning (!), it makes sense to put some things away for the summer. Make sure to label your bins and boxes so they will be easier to unpack later.

Take Time to Reflect

What went well this year? What didn’t go so well? What parts of the year did you enjoy? What felt like a slog? How can you tweak things next year to make them more enjoyable and effective?

You may want to:

• Dump your thoughts out in a journal.

• Talk it out with your fellow teachers, spouse, partner, or friends.

• Look back at pictures, student work, your planner, and other documents to remember what went well.

Make a Smile Box

Gather those end of the year notes, cards, and cute drawings and save them in a box - you just might need a “pick me up” during a stressful time next year. Do your students crack you up? Grab a notebook or student quote book and write down the funny things they say through-out the years. These are sure to bring you a smile when you need it.

Make Some Summer Goals

Yes, your summer goals can totally be “Get some rest!” In fact, that is an excellent goal. Delaying rest and relaxation is a sure road to burn-out.

Besides rest, you may want to pick something you are interested in learning this summer. Maybe it is a new reading program or a classroom management system. Or, maybe it is something you want to learn for fun like crochet, guitar, or another language. Whatever your goal, keep it simple and achievable for the (all too short) time you have off.

Enjoy Your Summer!

I know that summers are not all fun and games for teachers, but please do enjoy the summer as much as you can. You deserve some fun and relaxation!