Rigor is creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels,
each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels,
and each student demonstrates learning at high levels (Blackburn, 2008).

Monday, May 19, 2014

Make It the Summer to Remember

Make It the Summer to Remember

The final bell will soon sound. You will say the goodbyes to your students and your colleagues. The hallways will be empty. Summer will be here!

Your routine will change. Yes, you will still be busy. But what will you be busy about? For most teachers, summer provides the largest block of discretionary time you will have all year.

Those three months will go by like a flash, and the bell will sound again. You may be one of those teachers whose opening writing assignment for the students is the one entitled, “What I did during my summer vacation.”

What about you? If you were writing that essay a few months from now, what would it say? Will you acquire a new skill? Will you replace a bad habit with a better one?
Think back on your summers as a child. Which ones were the memorable ones for you?
…The summer you learned to swim?
…The summer you learned to ski?
…The summer you learned a musical instrument?
…The summer you took that great trip?
You have the opportunity to make this summer one of the memorable ones, but only if you plan it. Otherwise, the days quickly fill with the trivial. August will be here, and you will have little to show for it.

Make It Count
Are you ready to build some more memories? Are you ready to make your summer count?

Take out a blank sheet of paper and writing your own, “What I did during my summer vacation” letter. Write it as if August is already here. Having your story on paper is the beginning.

Now make it happen! Brainstorm the steps that will get you from where you are to where you want to be. Trap those steps with pencil and paper as you go. Make them as specific and clear as possible. Put the steps in whatever paper or digital planner drives your day, so that making progress on your goal is integrated into all else you do.

Hang on to your letter. Re-read it weekly throughout the summer. With the letter as your compass and your paper or digital planner as your roadmap, you can make it happen.

This could be the summer to remember. It’s up to you. What are you waiting for?

A special thank you to Dr. Frank Buck for this guest post.  He regularly blogs about getting organized.  He is also the author of Get Organized!  Time Management for School Leaders and Organization Made Easy!  Tools for Today's Teachers.  



1 comment:

  1. Barbara, it was a pleasure to write this one for your readers. For many, summer vacation starts in just a few days. Make this one the summer to remember!

    ReplyDelete

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