Summer 2020 really will be unlike anything we’ve seen before as teachers. As travel bans continue to be in place, and the world is operating at 50% capacity or less in many areas across the country, being a teacher during the summer kind of sucks. After a long and stressful year of distance learning and all the stress that comes with that, we don’t get the chance to take the summer off. If you are a teacher, approaching summer in quarantine, here are some tips to make your summer during Covid-19 less bad.
Give yourself some time off
Many of us haven’t been in the classroom since March, but that doesn’t mean that we haven’t been working around the clock to make distance learning a tolerable experience for our students. I have spent many mornings up at the crack of dawn talking teachers through zoom calls and helping students learn lessons during the afternoon. On top of all of those things, I also have to make time to help my own kids with their school work. After months of doing this, summer vacation couldn’t come soon enough. Don’t feel guilty about giving yourself some time off, even if all you do is binge watch shows on Netflix and eat snacks in your pajamas.
Be available for students and parents
While the school year might be over for most people, make yourself available for your students or parents looking to get some extra help over the summer. You may want to carve out some time to help those who didn’t have the opportunity to meet with you while learning was moved home. Use this time to talk with some of the parents about their child’s grades and help answer some questions about the upcoming school year.
Use this time to do some lesson planning
If you are in a state with strict Stay at Home orders or trying to practice social distancing, use this time to do some lesson planning. Getting your ducks in a row over the summer can help make your school year way better, and help you be better prepared for what school might look like during the fall. Use this time to look into resources or new apps for the classroom, and consider giving yourself some digital options in case classes are still online for some of the school year.
Catch up with friends and coworkers
Just because you can’t see your friends and coworkers, doesn’t mean you can’t take this time to catch up with them. Finally, sit down and answer those emails and text messages that started to fill your inbox during the last few weeks of school. Schedule a virtual coffee date, or go to a restaurant if you can.
Being a teacher has many benefits, and many would include getting three months off over the summer. While this year likely won’t be the same for most teachers, there are still plenty of ways to make the most of your summer during Covid-19.
