Four Ways to Take a Real Break This Summer: Edutopia

 https://www.edutopia.org/article/4-ways-take-real-break-summer

4 Ways to Take a Real Break This Summer

Some teachers turn downtime into a professional learning opportunity, but unplugging from work has a lot of value.

By Crystal Frommert

May 28, 2021

baona / iStock

Years ago during a parent conference along with a wise, experienced coteacher, the parent asked what her son needed to work on during the summer to be ready for advanced math the next year. My coteacher calmly replied, “He needs to simply get outside and play some baseball.” To my surprise, the parent was relieved. Maybe we, as educators, need to heed the spirit of this advice for ourselves.

A typical summer for me as a teacher used to include teaching a few weeks of math summer camp, a workshop or two, and a few professional development (PD) books. Before I knew it, August was here. Yes, after a jam-packed summer, I definitely was more professionally developed but definitely not well rested. Librarian Christa Pryor spent the summer of 2020 relocating the entire school library to a new building. When I asked her what plans she had for this summer, she quickly replied, “This summer is for my family and me.” The more I ask around, it seems like many educators will be pumping the brakes on schoolwork in the summer of 2021.

After a tumultuous year of remote and/or hybrid learning, educators need to give themselves permission to rejuvenate this summer. Many educators will find it hard to break the busy summer professional development habit. If you’re dedicated to taking a real break this summer, here are a few swaps you can make to put the focus on you.

4 WAYS TO FOCUS ON YOURSELF THIS SUMMER

1. Read what brings you joy instead of educational research books: If you typically take home PD books to prepare for the next school year, swap these out for books you’ve always wanted to read. Even if a book is not considered to be highbrow, be open to this indulgence. Visit your local library, or get to know a locally owned bookshop. Curl up and let a good story take you away.

2. Seek out a new avenue for seasonal work instead of teaching summer camp or school: I have been teaching a math workshop to middle school students. Every. Single. Summer. While I love being with the kids and doing fun, creative math in a low-stakes setting, I can’t risk the burnout. Not this summer. If you count on the income of a summer school program or camp, seek out seasonal employment in the retail or service industries. This might be the summer you focus on your side hustle. By trying out a new employment adventure, you can meet new people, expand your skill base, and supplement your income.

3. Develop a hobby instead of focusing on PD: My summer calendar would be filled with education conferences near and far. It was not unusual for me to spend a few days at my regional educational service center, attend a social and emotional learning conference in another state, or participate in an online seminar. While I gained so much as an educator networking and learning at these conferences, I am taking a pause this summer. You might want to try learning how to knit, paint, cook, woodwork, or skateboard. Perhaps you’d like to start a yoga or Zumba practice.

The summer is also a great time to learn a new language or do volunteer work... or whatever piques your interest. YouTube tutorials can help you get started, or you can join an online or in-person community for peer support. Check out this short NPR Life Kit podcast for more tips on starting a hobby. Dedicate some time every day to your new hobby. You’ll be amazed at how much you will learn and grow with daily practice (and it will make for an inspirational personal story for your students when school starts).

4. Look forward to your break instead of reflecting back on your school year: As an instructional coach, I am constantly singing the praises of a reflection practice. It’s always valuable to consider what went well and what could be adjusted in your teaching practice. Try to apply your reflection practice to your summer instead. Imagine yourself in August as the summer is winding down. Do you imagine feeling refreshed? Renewed? How will you fill in the blank in this sentence? “I am so glad I did _____ for myself this summer.” Keep a daily journal in a notebook or in an app like Daylio to track what swaps you’ve made this summer to revitalize yourself. Your journal entries will guide your reflection on the gift you’ve given yourself this summer.

There will be moments this summer when your educator guilt will slip in. You’ll feel tempted to check your email or research a project for the next school year. As educators, we always say you can’t pour from an empty cup. This summer, let’s fill our cups so full that they will run over for our students when school starts again. Your fall 2021 self will be glad you did.

 

What to Say Instead of "I'm Proud of You: Edutopia

 From Edutopia: https://www.edutopia.org/article/what-say-instead-im-proud-you?fbclid=IwAR3AwioYhIiJ5Kz2ia4S43I1hmEGy5GTNvyQw8WSiFyAXMzWWmfTtltwDL0

What to Say Instead of ‘I’m Proud of You’

A few phrases middle and high school teachers can use to cultivate conversation while celebrating student achievements.

By Tarn Wilson

June 22, 2021

SDI Productions / iStock

In the past, when my high school students shared some good news—they’d aced the interview or made the team—I’d answer, beaming, “I’m so proud of you.” I was genuinely happy for them, but something about my response felt off. First, it tended to end the conversation. Second, it shifted attention away from the student and onto me, as if my approval were the goal.

I wanted my students to spend more time basking in their accomplishments and taking ownership for their successes. As I experimented with how I responded to their achievements, I discovered four simple strategies.

1. ‘TELL ME MORE’

My favorite phrase to help students slow down and savor a particular achievement is a simple “Tell me more.” If I have a talkative student and plenty of time to listen, I might even open with a cheerful, “Tell me everything!”

Student: “I got a solo in the choir show.”

Me: “I’m so happy for you! Tell me more.” 

Student: “I got my driver’s license yesterday.”

Me: “Congratulations! Tell me everything.” 

This strategy allows students to relive the moment and magnify their happiness through sharing. I also like the way the open-ended phrase gives students control over the details they choose to share.

2. ‘YOU MUST FEEL...’

Turning your students’ attention to their emotions also helps them more fully inhabit a moment. To support this, I often make a guess about their feelings. Instead of telling them I’m proud, I might say, “Wow! That’s so exciting. You must feel really proud.”

I still remember the first time I used this technique. In my study skills class, I leaned down to talk to a student who shyly shared that he had done well on a test in a class in which he usually struggled. Instead of answering, “I’m proud of you,” I said, “I know how hard you worked. That must feel so satisfying.” “Yes,” he answered. And then he held my gaze with a well of emotion in his eyes. “Yes, it does.”

Although naming students’ emotions sounds as if it might shut down conversation, it generally has the opposite effect. In fact, asking students “How does that make you feel?” about a happy moment can sound unnatural (“Good, duh”)—or like a TV therapist. Also, because some students are just building their emotional awareness and vocabulary, offering them some language can be a powerful opening. The trick is to make sure we pause afterward to allow space for students to confirm, elaborate, modify, or correct the guess—and to be alert to what they communicate with their tone and body language.

3. ‘WHAT DID YOU DO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN?’

One of my primary goals is to help students become conscious of choices and patterns that lead to success. So when a student achieves a goal, I often follow up with variations on the question, “How did you make that happen?” I might say,“You got an A on your math test! That’s fantastic. You must feel really happy. What did you do to make that happen?”

Some students can easily list all the steps. Others, less practiced in self-reflection, might answer with “I don’t know” or “I guess the test was just easy.” In that case, I often add my own observations, or questions, to help them build self-awareness: “I noticed that this week you worked with a math tutor and finished three out of five of your math assignments. That seems to have worked for you.”

This gives students the opportunity to own their experience and see the teacher not as someone they are in danger of disappointing but as an ally.

4. ‘I APPRECIATE...’ OR ‘I ADMIRE...’

All of this doesn’t mean I never share my positive feelings with my students. Now, more than ever, I regularly and specifically note positive actions: “I noticed that every student participated at least once in class discussion.” When their actions make my life easier, I let them know: “I appreciate that all of you are here on time because I won’t have to repeat the instructions.” I tell them when I genuinely admire their qualities and talents: “I admire your perseverance in making up your work after your long absence.” While “I’m proud of you” implies that my students should work to please me, “I admire” tells them them have qualities I respect.

Of course, when a class accomplishes a particularly challenging task or is exceptionally mature, kind, and resilient, I can’t resist telling them I’m proud. Also, for those students who are feeling ungrounded, insecure, or unworthy, an authentic “I’m proud of you” might be just what they need the most. In those cases, the words can carry much more than our pride. They can mean that our students are seen, valued, and supported.

I believe our praise should not position the teacher at the center—as bestower of approval or disapproval. Instead, our feedback should be used as a tool to cultivate in our students a healthy self-awareness and self-trust.

 

Summer at Blue Hills, the Ecotarium, Salem or Shelburne Farms!

 

Wade Institute for Science Education

2021 Summer Professional Development Institutes

 

Explore hands-on, minds-on, inquiry-based investigations and increase your STEM content knowledge during our virtual 2021 Summer Professional Development Institutes! Connect with scientists, engineers, and STEM professionals through live discussions and virtual site visits. Work with educators at our partner institutions to explore real-world phenomena through hands-on, minds-on investigations. Explore how to use these investigations with your students both in the classroom and remotely. Earn PDPs and optional graduate credits. Receive a toolkit containing materials to enable you to complete the inquiry-based, minds-on, hands-on investigations introduced during the course. As an added bonus, you will be invited to participate in optional field sessions with our partners during the 2021-2022 school year. All courses include 5 virtual sessions plus 15 hours of online learning.

 

Seasons and Cycles: How Weather Affects Us and How We Affect the Weather

Virtual Professional Development Institute for Grades 3-8 Educators

Dates: Virtual Sessions June 21st – 25th

Partners: Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center, The Ecotarium, GLOBE Mission Earth (Boston University)

 

My Soda Bottle Ended Up Where? Exploring Plastic Problems and Solutions

Virtual Professional Development Institute for Grades 6-12 Educators

Dates: Virtual Sessions July 19th – 23rd 

Partners: Beyond Benign, Salem Sound Coastwatch, wTe Corporation

 

How Does Your Dinner Grow? Exploring Connections Between Food Production and Sustainability

Virtual Professional Development Institute for Grades 6-12 Educators

Dates: Virtual Sessions July 7th, 9th, 12th, 14th & 16th 

Partners: Shelburne Farms, Massachusetts Farm to School

 

Landscapes on the Move: Investigating Geologic Formations and Processes 

Virtual Professional Development Institute for Grades 3-8 Educators

Dates: Virtual Sessions July 7th, 8th, 13th, 14th & 15th 

Partners: Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Lloyd Center for the Environment, Center for Coastal Studies Provincetown, Cape Cod Learning Tours

 

Institutes provide an opportunity for you to increase your skills using phenomena-based inquiry investigations in the classroom and in synchronous and asynchronous remote settings. Learn more about each institute and register online at https://www.wadeinstitutema.org/spdi-k12!

 

Contact us directly at wadeinstitute@wadeinstitutema.org to arrange a Customized Professional Learning Services program tailored to the professional learning needs of educators at your school!