Angela Watson hosts podcasts, newsletters, a blog and more, all with a focus on improving the quality of work and life for teachers. Spend 30-45 minutes planning your vision and priorities for the summer to ensure it will be rejuvenating and not just a blur.

1. Get clear on your end-of-summer vision.
What do you want your life to look like when summer’s over?

Remember, it’s always better to underplan and feel good about achieving above and beyond your goal than it is to overplan and feel like you were unsuccessful.

2. Figure out your priorities.
Rather than creating a mile-long to-do list, section off your list by high, medium, and low priorities. The highest priority goals are things which will make the End of Summer Vision a reality. Add other things you have planned or would like to do in the lower priority sections. You can continue to add to the list whenever you think of new things throughout the summer.

3. Write non-negotiable dates on your calendar so you can see your busy times at a glance.
Any trips, appointments, or other set-in-stone events should be written on your calendar. This will prevent you from realizing on the last day of summer break that you never got around to something that was very important. Additionally, the calendar will help you ensure you have time for rest and relaxation in between your most demanding, productive days.

4. Choose a theme or focus for each week of the summer, based on your highest summer priorities.
Schedule similar tasks together in a week: repairs, family visits, appointments.

You can have more than one focus each week if needed: the idea is just to batch similar tasks so you can get yourself in the appropriate mindset and focus on them without feeling pulled in too many different directions.

5. At the start of each week, look at your focus and create a realistic to-do list.

Let’s say that part of your end-of-summer vision is to feel prepared for back-to-school, and you’ve set aside a week of your summer break to focus on that. Take a look at your items on your high priorities list, and break them down into actionable steps.

Choose just one or two of those steps to tackle each day, and add them to your daily to-do list.

Get the full summer planning guide here.

Starting on June 9th, Angela hosts a special summer podcast series on self-development instead of professional development. Sign up for biweekly email reminders to help you stay focused on what matters most to you this summer and enjoy your break.

https://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/truth-for-teachers-podcast/summer-2019-series/

• June 9th: Presence
• June 23rd: Alignment
• July 7th: Authenticity
• July 21st: Purpose

Follow Angela's blog: The Cornerstone For Teachers

By Justin Minkel, for Education Week Teacher (June 5, 2019) (abridged)

.... All teachers have experienced that odd interlude after the end of the school year but before the beginning of true summer: a moment comprised of equal parts finality, sorrow, and release....Teachers are notorious for taking care of everyone but ourselves. The coming summer provides a perfect chance to change that....

Here are four ideas for making the most of that oasis of time between the end of this school year and the beginning of the next.

1. Become the learner instead of the teacher....

Take a class on pottery, carpentry, or bike repair. It takes curiosity, perseverance, and humility to learn a new skill. The struggle and excitement of being a novice can deepen our empathy for our students, who we ask every day to attempt new and difficult things.

2. Hyphenate yourself.

I’m a teacher-dad and a teacher-writer.... What do you love to do when you’re not teaching? What did you love to do, before the annual tsunami of the school year flooded your time for hobbies and talents with lesson plans, grading, and faculty meetings?

This summer can be a time to rediscover how good your body feels when you’re dancing, hiking, baking, quilting, swimming in a river, or doing whatever it is that brings your soul peace and makes your heart sing.

3. Be your full self with your loved ones.

I’m always amazed how much more energy I have in June and July....We can lavish some of that newfound strength, focus, and free time on the people we love most.

4. Join a new tribe or two.

“Teacher” is a deep identity. ....It can be rejuvenating to experience the camaraderie of a new cohort: a creative writing class, a book club, a French conversation group, or a 40-and-over basketball league where ’70s-style sweatbands are the fashion and fast breaks are considered poor form.

The Profession That Makes All Others Possible

Most of us love what we do. If we didn’t love teaching, we’d find a gig that paid better or demanded less. That doesn’t change the reality that this job is hard. We need deep rest and renewal if we’re going to keep doing it well.... Let’s show ourselves a little of the kindness and nurturing we extend in abundance to our students all year.

We have to make sure our bodies are rested, our minds are clear, and our spirits are strong.

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Part of managing work stress is having clarity about our values and acting in alignment with them. This blog post describes research on the impact of this issue on teachers:

Teachers Often Experience 'Moral Injury' on the Job, Study Finds by Sarah Schwartz - "Teaching Now" blog for Education Week Teacher

May 23, 2019

By Jennifer Gonzalez, April 2013 (Abridged)

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/marigolds/

(Although intended to be advice for new teachers, we all can use the reminder.)

The Marigold Effect

Many experienced gardeners follow a concept called companion planting: placing certain vegetables and plants near each other to improve growth for one or both plants. For example, rose growers plant garlic near their roses because it repels bugs and prevents fungal diseases. Among companion plants, the marigold is one of the best: It protects a wide variety of plants from pests and harmful weeds. If you plant a marigold beside most any garden vegetable, that vegetable will grow big and strong and healthy, protected and encouraged by its marigold.

Marigolds exist in our schools as well – encouraging, supporting and nurturing growing teachers on their way to maturity. If you can find at least one marigold in your school and stay close to them, you will grow. Find more than one and you will positively thrive....

Once you’ve identified your marigolds, make an effort to spend time with them. Having a hard day? Go to your marigolds.

Beware the Walnut Trees

While seeking out your marigolds, you’ll need to take note of the walnut trees. Successful gardeners avoid planting vegetables anywhere near walnut trees, which give off a toxic substance that can inhibit growth, wilt, and ultimately kill nearby vegetable plants. And sadly, if your school is like most, walnut trees will be abundant. They may not seem dangerous at first. In fact, some may appear to be good teachers – happy, social, well-organized. But here are some signs that you should keep your distance: Their take on the kids is negative. Their take on the administration is negative. Being around them makes you feel insecure, discouraged, overwhelmed, or embarrassed.

WALNUT TREES ARE POISON. Avoid them whenever you can. If you don’t, they will start to infect you, and soon you’ll hate teaching as much as they do.

Get What You Can, Where You Can

Not everyone is all-marigold or all-walnut tree.... Learn who has what marigold qualities and get what you can from each of them.

Finally, try to find some compassion for the walnut trees.... Plus, it’s not like their complaints have no basis in reality. Teaching is a ridiculously hard job, some say almost impossible – like climbing Mount Everest (if you’ll allow for one last metaphor). Still, you’re aware of the difficulty, and though many before you have failed, you have accepted the challenge.

Before you climb that peak, you’ll need to choose a sherpa to escort you through the trek. The first option is Walter Nutt, who starts by asking why in the world you’d want to do something like this.... The second option, Mary Gold, congratulates you on your courage, sits down with you to map out some important strategies, and finishes off by saying It’s a crazy-hard, mammoth task, but you know what? We’re going to kick that mountain’s ass.

Who do you want leading you up that peak?

Find your marigolds and stick close to them. Grow big and strong. Kick that mountain’s ass. ♦