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July is a great time to be a teacher. It is one of the most demanding jobs. It takes so much time, energy, and effort to shape the minds of the future. It is important to understand how a teacher’s year flows and what to focus on each month. The old school 3 Rs – Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic – are still critical skills to be taught, however the three Rs of July are critical to a teacher’s well-being and mental health.
RELAX: With so much being asked of teachers during the school year, it is very important to be able to relax and enjoy the summer months because the school year is just go, go, go. Each teacher will have different activities that they find relaxing. Maybe it is reading a summer novel or hiking in the woods. Some teachers may prefer to go to the beach, ride a bike, or do a puzzle. Find the activities that are enjoyable and participate in these as much as possible.
RECONNECT: During the school year there are too many school meetings, professional development sessions, conferences, student reports, and emails. There is very little time to spend with extended family and friends. The summer is a great opportunity if you choose to reconnect. Go out with some college or high school friends. Perhaps there is a retired colleague that you might like to see. Allow time to socialize with others.
In addition to reconnecting with people, it’s a great opportunity to reconnect with hobbies and activities. Many of these were mentioned in the previous paragraph.
RECHARGE: The three Rs of July are very interconnected. With cell phones being such an important part of our lives, it might be good to use as an example of a teacher’s energy level. Like most cell phones, they are rarely fully charged. The summer months are the time to get the energy level as close to 100% as possible.
During the school year there are so many ways a teacher’s energy is drained – a challenging student, a principal’s observation, a nasty email from a parent, or , or a reduction in force in your school. All these will take away energy and power from a teacher. There is no excuse for not taking time for yourself in July. Do not think at all about the upcoming school year, even if you’re moving school, even if you’re teaching a new class, or even if you are in your final year of nonprofessional status. Take time for yourself so that you are fully charged on the 1st day of school.Hopefully this has been a helpful read through many educators. We hope to continue to provide posts that are educational, informative, and interesting. Have a fantastic July. See you in August.