Top 5 things to do over the summer to set yourself up for Back-to-School Success

1.   Reflect, and make a few notes to give direction to your next school year. Here are some questions that might be useful prompts:  

• What worked for you this past school year?  
• What do you wish were different?  
• Which activities were hits?  
• Can you mimic or adapt those activities for other topics?  
• What resonated with your students?  
• What were you proud of over the past year?  
• Are there ways to increase that action or circumstance?
• Take time to reflect now, while the past school year is still relatively fresh in your mind!

2.   Create a SMART plan for one or two things you’d like to change in the coming school year: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timed. For example, if getting to work on time in the morning has been stressful, you might try:  When school starts, for one week, a friendly alarm sounds 20 minutes before I have to walk out the door. If you want to build a stronger classroom community, ensure that every student participates in at least one class discussion or group activity per week for the first month of school.  

3.   Connect with a colleague. Share thoughts and ideas. Trade techniques that worked. Brainstorm together on a couple of challenges you’re facing. Is your colleague doing something you admire that you could try? 

4.  Line up a few wins to support yourself for the first month of school. Some possible ideas: 

• Make a coffee date with a friend, or a time to go for a walk, for a few weeks after school starts.  
• Put a couple of freezer-friendly dinners in the freezer.  
• Write a quote that is meaningful to you on a piece of paper and tuck it in your work bag. 
• Find a comic that makes you smile, print it out, and pop that into your work bag.  

5.  Take a break. We all need time to rest. Check out ideas for educators to recharge over summer break here.

When you are ready to think about school material again, you can rely on G-W for comprehensive packages of instructional support and ready-to-implement resources. Ease your transition back into the classroom with our skills-based programs that include lesson plans, PowerPoints, editable and assignable workbook activities and handouts, and more. If you see something you like today, request your preview copy here. 

In the meantime, enjoy every moment of your well-deserved break!