What are the 5 R’s of Summer for Special Educators? They are helpful tips that will have you returning to the classroom feeling recharged and prepared – – and they all start with the letter R! Be ready for Fall no matter what it brings! And don’t worry about taking notes because I’ve created a free checklist for you with the steps to success and ideas for each! You can get it here: The 5 R’s Summer Checklist for Special Educators. Let’s get started!
1. Special Educators – Get some REST!
For the first two weeks of your summer break, I want you to rest. Genuinely REST. Your body needs to unwind. If you have young children and obligations, I want you to add the words “to the best of your ability” after REST, because I get it. Depending on your situation, resting is relative. Here is what ideal rest would look like. Don’t feel bad about spending a day in your pajamas. Or two. Judgement free zone here! Catch up on your favorite TV shows or novels. If you have a pool, USE IT. I have a pool and one of my favorite things to do is put on a podcast and just… float…. Regardless of how you might rest, try it for two weeks. I say two weeks because I have roughly two and a half months off and I like to give myself two weeks for all of the steps, some of which overlap. Read on.
2. Take time to REFLECT this summer.
After you’re well rested, it’s time for reflection. You will want to give yourself a week to really dive in to this step. What went well last year? What went wrong? Why? I like to get a notebook and pen for this exercise. Do what’s called a “Brain Dump” where you just pour your thoughts onto a blank page. No one has to read it but you so really let the ideas and thoughts flow! How did your Para Pros work out? Did you use them as much as you could? Do they need more training or guidance? Did you utilize their strengths? What things can you control or change next year to have more successes and less rough days? Do your students need more visuals to help guide their day? Make a list. Reach out to a trusted colleague with any questions or dilemmas you may still have. Once you have your list, it’s time for the 3rd R!
3. The 3rd R stands for …READ.
This is different from the reading you did during the resting phase. And it doesn’t necessarily mean “read a book” – more on that in a second. After you have your reflection list created, choose one or two things that you want to learn more about. For example if a lot of your struggles came from lack of classroom management, consider reading Fred Jones’ Tools for Teaching while you’re sitting in that lounge chair by the pool. There are also a lot of great podcasts out there about everything you can think of from fellow special educators and behavior analysts. Google podcasts and you’ll find them! Listen while you garden, mow the lawn, or whenever you have a long drive to anywhere. Point is – we are life long learners and there’s no time like the present to dive in. This would be an R that overlaps. Take as much time as you need to read, listen, and later – APPLY all of those shiny new ideas!
4. Let’s REVAMP your space!
This R should be done as soon as you can have access to your classroom. Go in and take a good look around. Do you use all of that curriculum? Are your centers in good shape? Can some be tossed or given away to free more space? What about torn or out-of-date student visuals? Is there wasted space in your classroom that you aren’t using? I once visited a frustrated colleague’s classroom to find that she had unused closet storage and most of her materials were stored in bins piled on the floor. We went through them, donated some, and stored the rest in the unused shelves of her closets. Her classroom was less cluttered, her students with Autism had more space for centers (Hello, less visual clutter!), and she only had what she absolutely needed. If you want to take revamping to a whole new level, consider your storage – whether it’s centers, curriculum, or your classroom library. This may also be a time to toss out over-used sensory items and look for new! Donor’s Choose is a wonderful online grant system that walks you through, step-by-step, writing a grant for things like organization systems, matching bins, and new sensory items for your students.
5. Finally, it’s time to REALIZE a few things…
If the 2020-2021 school year taught us anything, it’s that not everything goes according to plan. And you know what? That’s OKAY. You need to realize that all teachers make mistakes and we all have rough days. What the previous four R’s do is rejuvenate us and help with recharge (so many R’s!!) and if you follow them, there’s no if’s, ands, or buts – you’re going to have a smoother transition than if you merely sat by the pool and read Julia Quinn novels all summer (she’s pretty good, by the way). However, if you REALIZE that there will be good and bad days, you can chalk it up to that, move on, and if all else fails, cut your losses and just take all the kids outside. But please do me a favor if you do that. Play with them. Yes, we all need a break sometimes but talk about the best way ever to build relationships with your kiddos – – NOTHING beats a good game of “Teacher Monster.” But more on that in another post. For now, enjoy your summer but remember… Fall is right around the corner. So get your R’s on and you’ll be ready for what’s to come!
Don’t forget to download your free 5 R’s of Summer Checklist for Special Educators here!
