Teachers are among the hardest working individuals I know. And whether we find ourselves at the local dollar store, garage sale, or Target we always have an eye out for things that *might* be useful in our classroom. Browsing TPT as a pastime? Copy that! Even when we are off, we really aren’t. The truth about teachers is that when your job is a work of heart and involves young lives you come to care about, it is hard to separate ourselves from our job. Whatever your goals are for your classroom next year, make sure to take some time this summer to disconnect from your classroom. Even if you decided to do absolutely not one stinkin’ school related thing this summer, it is okay. If your priority is to soak in your family, attend to a challenge in your life, or any other goal, give yourself permission to do so!
When you return to the classroom in the fall (well, late summer for some of us), your students will benefit even more from a rested teacher or one who’s been able to refocus attention on balance. When you teach, you touch the future, and that is a pretty amazing place to be!
For more ideas on teacher professional development, including creating balance in the teaching life, please contact me at deanna@deannawestedt.com
Deanna Westedt 