Early bird teachers start everything early. They wake up early (even on vacation), they arrive early to meetings, submit their lesson plans early, and are prepared for the first day of school weeks in advance.
- Read children’s and young-adult books. Discover new authors you enjoy and authors for all age levels. In the fall, as you guide students to new books appropriate for their age and interests, your summer reading will pay off with a “What Your Teacher Read This Summer” bulletin board.
- After reading books you enjoy, create fun literacy centers. For example, reinforce these clever “wordplay” picture books with “brain game” word centers.
The Alphabet Thief Brain Game
What is the pattern you see?
Can you come up with two more that fit the pattern?
- Make or buy a retro pocket apron. It will definitely come in handy the first week of school!
- Cultivate a growth mindset. Psychologist Carol Dweck’s theory details how two mindsets – fixed and growth – exist in all of all us. Whether we view aspects of our lives through the fixed or growth mindset can make a big difference. The Growth Mindset Coach: A Teacher’s Month-by-Month Handbook for Empowering Students to Achieve is an excellent how-to-guide for teachers to implement a growth-oriented atmosphere in their classrooms and in themselves.
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As you prepare for the new school year, continue to relax and decompress. Don’t overdo it; relish the sweet days of the fleeting summer.