As the summer progresses, now is a good time to revisit goals and plans. Some of these plans may include rest and relaxation and some consist of professional growth opportunities. All of this lead to revitalization! Here are some examples of summer activities that lead to renewal and growth over the summer.
Spending time with family: What started out as a way to complete school summer reading lists, led a family to not only discuss the books and, ultimately, about life. Read more about the mother’s reflection.
Recharging with new experiences: A teacher decides to try new things one summer including making his debut in local community theater.
Participating in Conversations – face-to-face: The summer is a great time to attend professional development experiences like National Writing Summer Institutes, seminars and institutes sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, or both!
Participating in Professional Development Abroad: A teacher attended Fulbright-Hays seminars in Poland, Hungary, Peru, and Ecuador and notes how she and her colleagues use Fulbright information in their classrooms.
Participating in Conversations – online: It’s not always possible to attend PD in person. There are now so many opportunities for professional conversations online. Learn more about “Online Communities: Linking Teacher to Teacher.” Then, join the online conversations with NCTE!
Teaching Summer School: When the traditional school year is over, there are opportunities for students and teachers to head to summer school. Here are examples of a teacher helping high school students with reading and another teaching in a summer academy.
Reading: Summer is a time known for reading. Reading for pleasure, completing summer reading lists, reading to learn. This article describes facilitating a summer reading program.
This English Journal article asked teachers, “What Do You Do during Summer Vacation to Help You Reenter the Classroom Refreshed in the Fall?”
What do you do?