Thinking Below the Surface in Summer

In "The Principal Connection: Summertime Reflections" in the Summer 2008 Educational Leadership, Joanne Rooney notes: "In summer, doors to reflection unlock. We have time to rummage around in our heads, unearthing deep-rooted beliefs about students and schools." She lists things she does during summer "downtime" to get into a reflective state, like traveling to the mountains, taking walks, and visiting grandchildren.

What summer activities have you found help you achieve the state of mind needed for below-the-surface thinking about your teaching life?

Have any insights into teaching come to you during summer days so far?

Submitted by Naomi Thiers, Associate Editor, Educational Leadership magazine.

Comments

[Marcia Puls-Graveley]

Summer activities that have helped me achieve the state of mind needed for below the surface thinking about my teaching life include hiking, canoeing and talking to my best friend who teaches in another province. Hiking and canoeing provides me with quiet time to reflect on my year. I especially find having discussions with my friend about teaching and our philosophies helpful. Reflection and discussion are things that I do not always have time for during the school year. They often bring new perspective to an already familiar situation.

So far this summer, I have discovered that I need to continue to find new strategies to meet the needs of my students. I must also remember the importance of getting to know my students on a more personal level. Therefore, I plan to implement "share time" into my teaching next year. I also plan to host family nights to discuss reading strategies and the new math curriculum because I feel that parent support and education are essential to student learning. Summer is not over yet, and I look forward to any new insights that might enlighten me!

[Katie Saldarriaga]

My students have always wanted me to teach summer school, but I find that I need my summer down-time to reflect, re-tool, and recharge for the upcoming school year.

In the summer months, I like to travel. I think that the more I travel the more in-touch I will be with my students' varying perspectives (I teach English Language Learners). I also like to spend time reading, relaxing with family, and working in my garden. All of these things quiet my mind so that by July, I can start to analyze where I want to go in the upcoming year.

So far, I have realized that I need to help students take more ownership in their education. I am in the formative stages of a plan with one of my assistant principals to begin a process to make that happen in the fall. Too often students blame their teachers for registering them for the wrong courses, that they didn't get all of their transfer credits, or get the appropriate testing modifications, etc. I think that students' should share in this responsibility with their teachers. They shouldn't be passive, waiting on things to happen to them. They need to know what they need to do, when they need to do it, and when/how to speak up and advocate for themselves. After all, in college, they will be expected to do all of these things.

I'm sure more insights will come in the last few weeks of vacation. However, I am already looking forward with great delight to the coming year.

[AnnaLisa Rodano Damminger]

Joanne Rooney's insights sparked much reflection on my summers. I always delve into specific investments during June, July, and August. I invest in a significant cleansing and renewal process.

I cleanse and renew my relationships with my children, consistently throughout the summer by doing fun, spontaneous activities and taking time to just enjoy their conversations. The school year with their schedules, as well as mine often inhibit the relaxed tone and comfort that summertime has to offer.

I cleanse and renew my relationship with my husband, enjoying quiet time and have nights out that are not restricted by homework pressures and school commitments.

I cleanse and renew my house! I always set aside a summer project or two that can get done around the house.

Finally, I cleanse and renew my energy and spirit to dive into a new school year. Each summer, I sort and organize one component of my files. I always incorporate a new fun event or activity that I have been waiting to try. This summer specifically, I have reflected significantly on the components of my professionalism; my strengths as well as my challenges. My goal is to incorporate new actions to build my reporting strategies to my families of assessment, data, and their children as whole learners. Additionally, the lazy, hazy days of summer have afforded me incredible insight to technologies and the need to consistently reach out, support, motivate, and learn from educators that I would not normally have access to.

Summer is just a wonderful opportunity to reflect, renew, and rejuvenate!

[Stacey W]

As stated in the other posts, I also reconnect with my children, my husband, my home, and my yard. I clean out the corners -- the corner of the desk drawer, the back of the kitchen pantry, the toy room. I clean out the corners during the summer because during the school year I lose them!

I also indulge in my guilty pleasure of reality TV. After my morning walk, before the kids wake up, before the projects, before the things that I have to do, I turn off the thinking part of my brain and zip through an hour of someone else's crazy life! Silly, I know. But it helps me realize that I have it really good and to enjoy the really good things in my life.

When I check back into my reality, I am ready to think about my files, my discipline plan, my professional development, and my lessons. Without the summer I would not be able to be an effective educator.

[AnnaLisa Rodano Damminger]

I am so appreciative that others have admitted to 'cleaning out' their closets and their corners too! No matter where each individual is on the novice-expert teacher continuum, summer time provides us with opportunities. The opportunities exist, as Ms. Rooney shared, to use varied experiences to reflect. As a professional, gaining insight to my effectiveness as an instructor, incorporation of something new, and revitalizing my attitudes are efficiently woven into my summer days!

[Heather F.]

I return to school feeling refreshed and recharged after summer vacation. I think it is important for teachers to use their summer breaks to better themselves as people so that they can in turn better themselves as teachers. I enjoy traveling with my husband during my summer vacation. This allows me to see new places and broaden my horizons. I can bring these experiences back to the classroom in the fall. It also allows me to relax so that I am full of energy to start each new school year. This helps both me and my students!

[Joanne King]

I think it is important to take the time summer offers to teachers to reflect on the past year and look forward to the challenges of the next. The summer means I get to travel to see friends and family that I don't get to see much of during the school year. It takes a couple of weeks to wind down and let my self relax so that my head can clear of the "millions" of things that run through it during school time. Summer gives me the time to find some other activities that I enjoy to recreate the balance that is sometimes lost during the school year.
Most teachers are in the unique position of starting fresh after a holiday. For me, I have started my masters so throughout the summer I have spent time reflecting on who I am as a teacher and what is important to me. It has been beneficial to remind myself of these things as I start a new year. After having taught for over ten years it is sometimes hard to begin a new year with hope but this year I want to focus on getting to know students on a more personal level and finding new ways to help parents participate in their child's learning.

[Katie]

I find that the summer is almost over, and I have nothing much to say about it. I have been so busy! Reading this article is making me think about my plans for next summer! I feel that my schedule has been so packed and there has been no time to fit in "play time". After a year of teaching, a person needs time to relax. I am teaching summer school, tutoring, and I started grad school. i suppose I am ambitious, but I am finding that it is too much. One thing I do agree on is that summer is a time for reflection. I am thinking about the past year and remembering activities that worked or didn't work and what I would want to change. Also better strategies for classroom management. A time of reflection can only make the next year better!

[AnnaLisa Rodano Damminger]

It is truly remarkable isn't it how busy we are during the summer! Often, I find myself saying, "....oh I will get to that during the summer..." and before I know it summer has arrived and is jammed packed. I too do this with teaching as I put many of my teacher organizational tasks off to the summer, as well as creating 'new' ideas during those summer moments!

[Monique Girard]

During the summer, I am able to take some time and reflect on the school year. I think about the things that were done well and areas that I'd like to improve on for next year. This year, in particular, I didn't put aside enough time for myself and was really "run down" in June. I have been sick the entire summer so far. I definitely need to create more of a balance in the upcoming school year and take better care of myself. When I am sick, I am not able to give my best to my students or my family. I enjoy spending more time with my daughter, whether its playing in the sandbox with her, going quading, camping or reading books to her. I also look forward to spending more time with my husband. Its during these times with my family that I truly get to unwind and relax. When August comes along, I slowly start spending more and more time in my classroom and getting things set up. We start school at the end of August, so the time goes by fast. As far as any insights that I've had into teaching, I have been pondering the ways I am going to achieve balance as I have started my Master's degree. Being more efficient with my time and staying organized will help me to achieve this goal. As well, I need to remember to take time for myself and my family. I am also thinking of ways that I can communicate with the parents of my students better and how to help them support their child's educational journey.

[Monique Girard]

I like the idea that you have Marcia about getting outdoors and enjoying nature for below the surface thinking about your teaching life. The outdoors can be so peaceful and serene. My family and I are planning to go to Jasper next weekend and we will be doing some hiking there. I hope that I can do some reflecting while enjoying the beautiful scenery at the same time.

[Michael Warren]

I find a couple of good cocktails help me with the reflection process! I also bounce ideas off of friends who aren't in education... sometimes it's better to get an "outside" opinion.

[Marcia Puls-Graveley]

I agree with Monique that summer is a time to reflect on the school year. She brought up an interesting point when she wrote "I think about the things that were done well." I feel that teachers are always searching for ways to grow in their profession and do not always give themselves enough credit for the things we are proficient in. So take the time this summer to give yourself a little pat on the back and reflect on all the wonderful things you have done during the year.

[AnnaLisa Rodano Damminger]

It is so true Marcia & Monique! We often look at what we did that needs a little sparkle or a total overhaul....taking time to reflect on what is effective and taking pride in that, is a wonderful way to even begin self-evaulation of the school year!

[Shaundra Spires]

I agree with Heather. I feel that I need time off in the summer to relax and take time for things that are forgotten during the school year. I love to spend more time with my children swimming and doing things we can not do during the school year. I also spend time reflecting on things I need to improve on in school. As someone mentioned, I,too,often find myself concentrating on the things that need improving more than patting myself on the back for things I have accomplished.

[Terry]

This has been a summer filled with reflection. I have enjoyed spending time with my wife who is a school counselor. We made a calendar for each day of the summer to do fun things around the city such as go to the zoo, museum, state park, nature center, etc. Many of the things we rarely do and a couple we have never done. We've also included golfing, bike riding, and fishing into each week. It has been a great summer to unwind, relax, reflect, and recharge. Since I have also started working on my masters this summer I have be given plenty of classroom ideas to think about. I will ready to take on the next class . . . in a week or two.

[Chandra Black]

Experience has taught me the importance of taking time to reflect during the summer. In the past, I have taught summer school only to return to the regular school year feeling like I need a vacation. This article has helped me to realize the value in finding time during the summer to reflect and re-energize.

[AnnaLisa Rodano Damminger]

Don't you believe Chandra, that always running on 'full teacher motor' eventually wears us down terribly. It is so difficult just to take personal time, but I know that it is essential for my well-being, then the teacher reflective time comes more naturally when we are in a more refreshed state of mind....

[Savanna Helms]

I find that writing is the best reflection for me. When I began my first teaching job in January, I remembered that a teacher had once told me to keep a journal. Therefore, I began journaling several days a week, and I would write about the events in my life both in and outside of school. Since summer has arrived, I have had the time to go back and read through my journal entries. By doing this, it helps me analyze my feelings and reactions to different situations going on at the time. I am also able to reflect on ways I could handle things differently if they would happen to occur again in the future. At the beginning of the year I look forward to beginning a new journal!

[Andrea V]

I really like AnnaLisa's idea for a journal. It allows for reflection and planning without being something that may become difficult to keep up. I plan to try it this year and see how it goes.
In regards to the article and previous comments, I too spend much of my summer in reflection and preparation for the coming year, but not in the manner the article mentions. I think that maybe trying some of the things Rooney mentions may help to prepare me mentally for another stressful year.

[Susanna]

During the summer the activities I find help me achieve the state of mind needed for below-the-surface thinking about my teaching life is reading and learning. I like to find, read, and level age appropriate books to see if they would be of use for my literature circles during the school year. I also like to attend seminars that I believe will help me with topics that have arisen in class and I did not feel like I was well versed in.

So far this summer I have learned new strategies that I believe will help me with my students this coming school year. I have also learned new strategies in dealing with difficult parents which is very important.

[Jessica]

Once school is out, I take the rest of June and think of nothing about school. By July I can begin to reflect on the past school year with an open mind. And by the end of July/beginning of August I am thinking how I can make the coming school year better than last year.
I need those first few weeks of summer to just relax and find myself again. I enjoying spending time with family and friends and reading fiction books. But by the end of June, I'm bored and need to refocus on school.
I have done this for several summers and I find myself very refreshed and ready for the new school year.