Before You Kiss Summer Goodbye
As summer 2016 comes to a close, this is the ideal time to reflect on last year and set goals. In the next few weeks superintendents, instructional directors, and principals will inform you of their vision for 2016-2017. What about the visions you have for yourself? Here are just a few ideas as you prepare to return to your classroom:
Toot Your Own Horn
Encourage yourself! Look at your credentials. Give yourself credit for everything you’ve done up to this point. You are the content expert and you have knowledge to offer to your students. You are creative and bubbling over with great ideas. Too often we don’t give ourselves credit for our accomplishments.
Just A Few Things
Try just ONE new thing. Yes just one. Choose one thing that you want to try. If you are in a Google district, try just one new tool. Perhaps you haven’t tried using a Google Form, try it, perfect it, and then move on to something else. There will be several ideas presented during professional development sessions at the beginning of the year, choose one to implement.
Positive Infusions ONLY
Everyone encounters “Energy Vampires”. Every workplace has them lurking around, they are easily recognized by their complaints. Spend less time with these people, they suck the life out of everyone they encounter.
Avoid starting the year with what you’ve heard about a student or cringing when you realize the older sibling was a challenge. Don’t begin imagining situations with parents that have been difficult in the past...before you even encounter them. Start off with a new ice breaker and make those connections that set the tone for the year. Resist the temptation to change the date on those lesson plans, consider new ways to teach those standards students typically struggle with.
Lastly, enjoy your last few days off, rest and spend time with those you love. Do something for yourself. Give yourself permission to have a good time. The first day of school is closer than it appears.
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