Getting Ready for the end of the School Year

 While some of you who reading this article may have a month of school left for this academic year, for others the year ends next week. You may be thinking about those leisure activities that you have been putting off and that much needed and well deserved time to re-energize before the next school year creeps up on you.

Many of your school administrators may have given you a check list for end of year’s formalities- collecting and counting text books, submitting end of year grades, collecting of classroom keys and other administrivia you need to complete before you leave.

I have comprised my own check list for the summer that should help you focus on the year ahead,

1)      Summer reading. Sure there are a great many books that that you have put off reading because you were too busy and now you can delve into the thriller of your choice. But don’t for get to keep up with your profession reading. Journal articles and current literature about your chosen occupation will help get ready for next year.

2)      Professional Development. Summer is the ideal time to take graduate courses or attend professional development workshop. In some areas pay raises can be affected by obtaining additional graduate credit or complete an advanced degree. Attending workshops provides teachers with an opportunity to network with other teachers, to share strategies and ideas.

3)      Summer Education Travel. There are numerous opportunities for educational travel throughout the United States and throughout the world. Some of the programs are parts of research projects. Others grant graduate credit or professional development hours. Check with your school district as well as your state teachers’ union for details.

4)       Make a list of activities that worked well and those that did not. Search the interest for engaging lessons that will make you a more effective educator not just for next year for years to come.

5)      Letter to parents. If you are teaching in an elementary setting next year, it might be a good idea to write a letter of introduction to the parents of your incoming students. You can welcome the family to your class and provide an introduction to you expectations for the upcoming year.

A Final Note-

Our hearts and thought go out to the good people of Norman, Oklahoma after the tragic tornado of this past week. In addition to the first responders, we must applaud the efforts of the teachers who saved the lives of their students and put their own lives in jeopardy by doing so. There should never be any doubt that teachers care about the welfare of their students.

c.2013 J. Margolis