It Is Summer: Relax, Recharge, and Reflect!
Summer is a great time for teachers to relax, recharge, and reflect. While relaxation should be top priority, reflection is also a part of every educator’s summer - “How can I make my next school year better?” has probably gone through your mind a time or two.
Rather than spending your time ruminating - tackle these thoughts head-on!
Unfortunately, we don’t have the magic secret to a perfectly calm classroom. If your thoughts concern e-textbooks, we’re ready to answer any question you may have. Students making schedule changes and needing different e-textbooks, we’ve got you covered. A question about an application, call us, we’ll guide you through it. Concerned about students dealing with multiple access codes? There’s only one (in most case) - available instantly, online. Contact us, we want to help you have a worry-free summer break!
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School Is Out for Summer – 8 Ways to Relax
They’ve been dreaming about this since Spring Break! Sleeping in, lounging by the pool with friends; basically, just relaxing and living the summertime good life!
While this sounds like the dreams of every student, the focus of this article is on an equally deserving group, the teachers!
You’ve been putting in long hours and weekends grading papers, arriving at school early and leaving late, and, most importantly, always ‘being there’ for a classroom full of students. Now, it’s important to take time to recharge and relax over summer break, reigniting that fire and preparing mentally for the upcoming school year.
Here are 8 ways for you to relax over the summer and enjoy your much-needed break.
- Read for fun! It can be any book you want. A bestseller, an old favorite, or a recommendation from a friend. This is your time - it doesn’t need to be reading to learn something. Start a book club with friends, take turns hosting and make plans to meet year-round. Take a trip to your local library and check out the free resources it has to offer!
- Try something new. Go to a yoga class. Take a hike. Learn a new skill. Try a new kind of food. Get a massage. Explore a neighboring city. Do something you’ve always wanted to do. Now is the time!
- Take a vacation…or staycation! You don’t need to stay at a 5-star, all-inclusive resort or go away for an entire week. This vacation is all about relaxing, not about busting your budget. There are many great deals out there…something for every budget.
- Take care of you. Hectic school year schedules mean a variety of personal necessities get set aside, often including your own health and wellness. Whether you schedule annual eye or physical appointments or develop healthy habits that can last through the school year, take time to take stock of your physical needs.
- Sleep does a body good. According to Harvard University, sleep plays a huge role in your body’s immune function, memory, learning, metabolism, and other important functions. Sleeping also helps improve your outlook. We all know how a sleepy student performs. Take what you tell your students to heart and get plenty of rest!
- Eat real meals, like lunch AND dinner. You have more than 10 minutes to eat now, so enjoy! Maybe you can even make time for the most important meal of the day, breakfast. Try out new recipes with family and friends. Maybe practice some meal prepping for the school year.
- Get involved with your local community. From volunteering to lending a helping hand, this is the ideal opportunity to learn more about the town you live in. Who knows what you will find out or discover!
- Do whatever you want! Just enjoy your time off. Don’t think about kids, planning, school improvement, or professional development for at least a month. You deserve this time off, so use it wisely!
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A Day in the Life of Students in Japan
On any given school day, most kids in the U.S. are dropped off by a parent or a bus, maybe even getting themselves to class via a short bike ride.
Across the planet in Japan, it’s common to see students as young as six responsible for getting themselves to class, riding the subway along with adult commuters heading to work. This independence doesn’t stop when they start class. Janitors aren’t seen on campus; students clean and maintain their own classrooms, serve lunch to their classmates and even clean the toilets!
While these practices might be considered odd in the U.S, (in fact, sending a young child alone on the subway is illegal, rightfully so!) in the Japanese culture it’s essential and they believe these practices allow children to grow up as responsible citizens, fostering the idea of taking care of one another. An important goal of Japanese education is to instill in the student the ability to become a fully integrated and productive member of Japanese society.
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