Summer, Summer, Summer Time...8 ideas to fill your summer break!

Since beginning my career three years ago, I have consistently relaxed throughout the entire summer! I use this time to recuperate and prepare for the upcoming school year. Several teachers take on various activities and endeavors for different reasons. Here are some things you can do to help fill your summer!

1. Take a Professional Development course: I have met plenty teachers who used the summer to earn more credits for re-certification purposes. Some also decided to take courses for their own professional growth. This summer I'll attend a Summer Institute that revolves around working with children of poverty. I attended the course last summer and enjoyed it. Being that I taught and will teach this upcoming year in an area that works with students from low income families and students who live in poverty, I figured this institute was a great opportunity for me to learn how to reach children of this demographic and help them as best as I can. You can definitely find different PD's in your district or outside your district.

2. Travel: Who doesn't love to just get away every now and then? Since we work around the clock, even in our sleep, the summer is the best time to get away and visit different places. Where have you always dreamed of visiting but never had the time? If you have the funds, go! Get a group of friends or travel by yourself and learn about new places! This summer I'm vacationing to Orlando, although it's nothing new to me, it's still a chance for me to just get a way for a while.

3: Teach summer school: Now some of you may be opposed to teaching summer school, but for some of us who need the extra funds it could be a great idea. It also gives you a chance to perfect your craft and assist students who truly need the extra assistance.

4: Volunteer: If summer school is not an option for you, there's always volunteering. Here are some places to check out or ideas:

- Harvest Hope Food Bank
- Local Hospitals
- Local Libraries
- Senior/Assisted Living Homes
- Girl/Boy Scouts
- Make A Wish Foundation
- Tutor students, family members or neighbors

5: Build your TPT store/blog: Do you have a TPT store or blog? Are you thinking of creating either one? If so, this is the best time to begin working on those endeavors to build your professional network or income!

6: Exercise/Hobby: If you feel the need to exercise for health reasons, just for fun or to work on your beach bod, here's the time to do so. There are several teachers you can find on instagram who are exercise and fitness gurus! I kept telling myself throughout the year that I need to get back in the gym, but it wasn't until last week that I finally just did what I said! If exercising isn't for you, what is something you've always wanted to do but never knew how? Find classes for the activity or see if you can learn online - more than likely you can find it on YouTube!

7: Prepare for upcoming school year: What are some areas you need to brush up on? What are some ideas you would like to implement for the next school term? I'm teaching at a new school next year, so totally different classroom. I've already thought of some ideas for the class and classroom management. I need to freshen up a bit on my guided reading though. I purchased the Reading Strategies book by Jennifer Serravallo and will begin reading it this summer to get ideas to assist my students with their reading skills. I've heard great things about this text last year and through some fellow teachers online. We're never to old to learn something new and I believe this will be a great read for me this summer!

8: Chill out: Okay, maybe you should just take a break! We all love what we do (at least I hope we all do) but it's call summer break for a reason! Be sure to take time out for yourself! Whether you do any of the above, be sure to definitely do something for YOU! You've worked around the clock for 10 months and now it's time to just do something else that gives you pleasure. Sharpen the Saw!

With that being said, HAVE A GREAT SUMMER BREAK TEACHER FRIENDS!