Welcome to Week 3 of the End of Year Challenge!
This week we will make sure that we take care of a very important person. YOU.
For an overview of the End of the School Year Challenge, read this post here.
Teaching is hard and requires a lot of energy and dedication, and the end of the school year can be particularly challenging. Let’s face it, we’re all tired. That’s why it’s crucial for teachers to prioritize self-care all year but especially during this time. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of wrapping up the school year, but neglecting your own needs can lead to burnout and exhaustion.
Table of Contents
Plan for Summer Break
One way to prioritize self-care is by planning for a fun summer break. Make a plan for summer. I like to think of summer as a time to plan out my days to focus on the activities that I may let slide some during the school year.
Some ideas:
- Plan a get-together (or two) with family and friends.
- Plan a vacation.
- Make a list of fun home or hobby projects you’d like to tackle.
- Collect some new recipes to try.
- Schedule some play dates and activities if you have small children.
Make Time for Yourself
In addition to planning for a fun summer, it’s important to take a little time just for yourself on a regular basis. This can include things like exercising, meditating, reading a book, or simply taking a quiet moment to breathe. These activities can help you de-stress and improve your overall well-being.
Want to know what activities are on my list?
- Create a work-out schedule.
- Schedule a doctors appointment.
- Make a list of books to read.
- Schedule a massage.
- Start a journal.
- Try a new hobby.
Focus on the Positive
Collecting positive notes and emails received throughout the year can be a great way to remind yourself of the impact you’ve had on your students. Create a notebook or copy and paste into a growing Google Doc to keep these special notes. Reflecting on these messages can help you feel proud of your accomplishments and motivate you to continue doing your best.
Lift Up Others
Take a few minutes to write little notes of inspiration to your teacher besties and colleagues. What do you admire about them? How have they inspired you? Making others feel good makes you feel good.
Collaborate
Lighten the load and plan some fun with your grade-level team or teacher colleagues. Work together to plan a few joint class activities for the end of the school year. Some ideas are:
- Hold a grade-level kickball tournament
- Have a picnic lunch outside
- Schedule board game rotations
- Plan a STEM Challenge day
- Switch classes for a lesson
- Stage a small talent show
- Plan a grade-level dance party
- Plan a movie day (each teacher shows a different movie and students select which movie they would like to watch)
It’s really important for teachers to make self-care a priority, especially as the school year comes to a close. When you take good care of yourself, it actually sets you up for success in supporting your students and facing the stresses that come with teaching. Remember, you deserve some TLC too!
Try to do at least one of these things in your classroom and mark it off completed on your End of the School Year Choice Board!
Looking for a fun end of year class project for your students? Have your students create a class yearbook with this Digital Class Yearbook.
