The summer break is probably the cruelest juxtaposition a teacher faces in her career. I mean, it is all good that we get an entire two months vacation right smack during the best time of the calendar year. I mean, yes the summer break, or some time off is definitely needed in this profession; by June we are all exhausted and in need of some R & R. But I am not talking about the meta-idea of the summer break. I am talking about the nuts and bolts of it. The “midway through summer break” summer break. That can be, at times, very excruciating.

Let me explain, so we are in the last week of July, you have been on break for about a month. Great. All fine and dandy. Maybe you haven’t gone away yet, saving those plans for later; perhaps right before the school year starts again. But then you start to think about all the time that you have left. Selfishly, each day that goes on, especially once August hits, becomes another day closer to the start of school and the grind continuing all over again. So what do you do to make sure you fully enjoy your entire summer vacation?

Well, I would assume that most teachers are type A personalities. That eagerness to get something completed is constantly on our minds. The time sensitiveness trait for me has me on the verge of an anxiety attack. I need to make sure I get the most out of my “free time”. Waking up at whatever time I please and rolling through a day with my main priority being “to relax” is just going to get me more strung up. I’ve tried this during my first couple of summer breaks and I just couldn’t help but feel that I had wasted my two months. Besides a vacation here or there and some memorable moments with family and friends, I always had this cloud weighing over my head that would never quite burst. But once the first weeks of school started it was too late to contemplate. It was back to work.

So this year I made a new plan. And my plan, well actually… was to make a plan. To avoid that feeling of a “wasted day” (I know, I am sounding really selfish right now to any non-teachers reading this), I would schedule mine out. Every day, I would start with the time I wanted to wake up and from there I would create thirty minute to one hour intervals of various things that all related to my overall goals for the summer. From small activities to big projects; the tasks ranged from reading to working out to painting the kitchen. Without planning my day, it may seem like I would be relaxing a lot more. But for many teachers, relaxing doesn’t consist of day after day of lawn chairs and canopies. There is always room for that, but when you have two months off, there are other things that equate to relaxing as well.

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As you move throughout your school year, you will notice that your focus will start to shift. Early into your first year, the necessities of the job will absorb most of your attention. Things like planning daily lessons, dwelling on responses to unanticipated questions and thinking about future questions you may receive take up the majority of your thoughts. In this time, work life is “day-to-day” in the utmost sense. Teaching, at first, is a very draining endeavor because it requires so much mental strength, preparedness, and energy. Through the first little while of teaching, there is no autopilot. But as time goes on, things get a little easier. From year one to year two, you will notice a tremendous difference in your time efficiency and preparing for your lessons and days. Understanding the capacity and work habits of the learners in your class will allow you to plan effective lessons and reach more kids. But never be afraid to take some time out of the day to catch your breath and make sure that your students are still with you; pause to make sure all understand the concepts and big ideas that you have attempted to teach. When things become overwhelming for you, it is okay to take a breath and reflect with your students.

In terms of “big ideas” or simple activities, figuring out what sticks quickly and what may take ample time can only be accomplished when a routine is set and you have ample opportunity to learn about your students. I must admit, I am a fan of “bell work”. It fosters a calming routine to start the day (or right after lunch). As long as the work is meaningful, I am all for it. It also gives you the opportunity to get some things done inside your classroom in the morning (or early afternoon) and deal with any administrative duties that need to be attended to (handing out forms to go home, handing back work, conferencing with students, etc).

The way I approach timetabling is simple. The mornings tend to be better for academic subjects, such as History, English, or Math, where concentration is required and students can ease into the day with a rested mind and body. Students are more docile so it fits to have activities that require reading, writing, and concentration. Art and Phys. Ed. are always going to get kids wired up so it is better to have these classes either right before lunch or towards the end of the day. Trying to get students to settle down after 40 minutes of dodgeball or painting is easier said than done.

Unfortunately, school has been set in a way that leads to an indifferent attitude towards the notion of “seeing something through to the end.” Whether it is the mandated minutes allotted  to “hard academics” or the ever-expanding curriculum one is expected to cover, students are herded in one direction to the next from the minute they enter the building. As soon as we start on one thing, it seems as though it is time to switch classes and move on to something completely different. This is a part of timetabling that education has yet to really figure out.

As an elementary teacher, one luxury you have is the ability to manipulate time with your class. The more flexibility and freedom you have, the better. Ultimately, you want to have a schedule that is consistent and fosters an environment of following through. Now, let’s see how the next few months go…

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