How to make the most of your summer holidays as a teacher

How to make the most of your summer holidays as a teacher

How to make the most of your summer holidays as a teacher

After a year’s hard work teaching, lesson planning, marking and prepping, the summer holidays finally arrive and a well earned, six-week break stretches out before you. Teachers and educators across the country finally get the chance to slow things down and take a breather, but just as everyone settles into the summer, the time is almost up! Where does it go? Only a couple of weeks remain before it all kicks off again and preparing for September starts coming into mind. We know these last couple of weeks can be a daunting time, so we’ve put together 5 tips to help you really make the most of your summer break and start the new term positive, refreshed and prepared.

Rest, recuperate and recharge

When you’ve worked hard all year, going at a million miles an hour, rest and recuperation during the summer break is essential for teachers.  This is your time to recover from the pressures of the previous year and to mentally and physically prepare for the next. The concept of relaxation can be difficult for some, but stepping away from schoolwork and recharging your batteries will actually help you to become a better teacher in the long run. Remember to keep this mind towards the end of the summer, as you begin your preparations for September. Keep taking regular time out to do the things you like to do, not have to do. Whether that’s catching up with friends, doing the garden, or taking a spa day. You want to be prepared but not burnt out by the time term starts.

Reflect

Stepping away from school during the summer break also provides the perfect opportunity to reflect on the previous year, to look back over the highs and the lows. As part of your September preparations, focus on the highs and the positive steps you can take to make next year even better. This way, over these last few weeks of the summer, you will subconsciously cultivate a positive attitude to carry you into the new term. What did you achieve last year? Take time to congratulate yourself for these things and to examine the things you would do differently to avoid the lows next time around.

Rekindle

In addition to recharging and reflecting, the summer break is also the perfect time to rekindle your passion for teaching and to get inspired as you prepare for the coming year. It’s easy to lose sight of things when times are hectic, so why not use these final few weeks of the summer to get excited and fall in love with teaching all over again. Read books about inspirational educators and leaders, check out the latest publications and do your research into what’s currently happening in education. Get ahead of the curve and be as informed as you can about your profession. You might even get a great lesson idea out of it!

Ready Yourself

As we all know, preparation is key, whether you are starting September in a long-term role or on supply. Use these final weeks to do as much as you can to ensure you get the year off to a great start. Classroom prep, lesson plans, behaviour management and reward systems, class rules, displays, labels, familiarising yourself with your new intake and their levels. If you’re doing supply work now is the time to get your supply bag ready and to prepare some lesson plans and resources to have up your sleeve for when the phone rings.

Refer a Friend

If you know any educators who are passionate about making a difference to children’s lives and are looking for a fantastic job in a school that suits them, now is the perfect time to refer them to justteachers. Plus, you’ll receive £50 for every recommendation you make! Whether they are looking for a long-term position in September or supply work, all we ask is that they are able to register with us for teaching or support jobs, they respond to contact and they are interested in our services. Simple. Why not use the last couple of weeks of the summer to help a friend find their perfect role – and make yourself a bit of extra money too. Simply go to https://www.justteachers.co.uk/recommend and fill in the details!