Summer Break Bucket List for Teachers

Hey teachers! What are you up to this summer? I know all of us are thinking about relaxing and basically doing nothing since our school year was so stressful, but there are some things that I think we can all agree are still doable. Here is my bucket list for an awesome teacher summer!

• Relax

This has been quite the year, so take it easy and spend some time relaxing doing whatever makes you happy. 

• Take a Nap

Dude, this summer, every teacher needs to take at least 1 nap! I think that is just essential!

• Read a fiction book

Read a book that is not related to school. Make it a mystery or a trashy romance novel. Try to get as far away from actually using your brain as you can! Here are some that are on my to-read list for this summer: 

• Plan a vacation or a stay-cation

I know we all may not have the energy or peace of mind to go on real vacations yet, but a stay-cation can be just as fun! Plan a week with special outings each day. I know here we are going to head to our local conservancy for a fun outdoor picnic

• Do something you have been wanting to get done but didn’t have time for

During the school year, there are so many things that we want to do that we just never get around to. Now is the time to get it done! Personally, I plan on doing some serious de-cluttering! 

• Hit up a beach (even if it is just to lay in the sand and soak up the sun)

Beach is basically synonymous with summer, so head out and get in some sun and sand. Even if you are not one who likes to swim, bring a fabulous book or throw in your headphones and soak up some Vitamin D! 

• Schedule time with friends (do this one super often over the summer)

For me, seeing friends during the school year can be difficult, so I like to plan lots of hangout time with my friends during the summer. Later this week my friend Happe and I are going to do a trapeze class! I am terrified, but I am happy to be doing it with her! 

• Find some really good ice cream or sorbet

This is another image that always seems to come to mind when we think of summer. So, head out to a bunch of local shops and find the best ice cream in town (if you're vegan, go for the sorbet!).

• See a hit movie (either in theaters or from your couch)

I feel like, after the year of quarantine, we all forgot what it was like to sit in a dark theater and enjoy a movie! So, now that you have some free daytime, find a matinee ('cause you know they are cheaper) and enjoy!

• Spend a whole day in your pajamas!

Avoid getting to any clothes that remind you of work. Stick with leggings, shorts, or pajamas while you still can!

• Don’t start thinking about next year until July or August

Seriously, this is like a mental health must-do! Take at least the month of June to just put school out of your mind for now. You'll come back to it in July or August and have a fresh, clear mind and that is always when I get my best ideas! 

• Read a PD book 

Once you start thinking about school again, do a little personal PD by grabbing a book about teaching. This could be something related to technology, SEL, PBL, or your content area. Here are a couple of the ones on my to-read list this summer: 

• Hit up Michaels, Target, or Goodwill to get a lot or a little bit of stuff for your classroom

It is always fun to hit up the Dollar Spot at Target or a Dollar Tree and replenish your prize bin or grab some cool new signs or things for your classroom. So splurge a little and have some fun! We want getting ready for back to school to be fun!

• Visit your classroom at least once before students come back 

You could do this over the summer or during work week but I highly recommend doing this! It is way better to find out that you are missing half of your tables or all of your chairs before the students come back so you can try and get it fixed. I also really love to be there when basically no one else is there to look at it and rearrange and get a head start on bulletin boards and anchor charts and all of that. 

• Check out some in-person or virtual summer PD! 

This summer there are tons of opportunities for teachers to do virtual professional development sessions or virtual conferences and summits like the Design Your Digital Classroom Summit.

If you are looking for an awesome way to bring all the cool tech tools you learned about last year into your classroom next year, join us for the Design Your Digital Classroom Summit!

Basically, teacher friends, let's spend the first half of summer relaxing and doing what we need to do to feel re-energized and rejuvenated, then we can start thinking about and working on classroom stuff but don’t do it too much. Remember that you aren’t getting paid extra for summers, so do what makes you happy. 

And don’t forget to get yourself signed up for the Design Your Digital Classroom Summit today! It will be an action-packed week that you won’t want to miss!