Throughout the school year, both the highs and lows of teaching can result in a state of exhaustion unlike any other. Consequently, when summertime rolls around, many of us find ourselves feeling the kind of bone-tired that leads to a diminished passion for the profession. Taking time to reflect and rekindle that passion may seem like a nice-to-do activity rather than a must-do experience. Physical and emotional separation from teaching can help—and might be a good place to start—but renewing our spirit, recentering our enthusiasm, and rekindling our passion for teaching may require more than just a hiatus.
Unless we intentionally engage in activities to reenergize and revisit what drives us, we risk returning to school in the fall only partially ready to restart and with our drive to nurture and change the lives of our students not fully replenished. Equally important, our students benefit most when we start the new year emotionally present, intellectually energized, and spiritually renewed.
Of course, the key question is, “What can I do to renew my spirit and rekindle my passion?” Fortunately, there are several activities to choose from. Here are some possibilities to get started:
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Set aside time in the coming weeks to reread cards, notes, and letters from former students and families. We can easily forget the words of appreciation, expressions of gratitude, and unsolicited compliments we have received during the year and across our careers. If you have kept a file or box of notes and cards, now is a good time to get it out and start reading. If you have not kept such a file, now is a good time to start one.
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Free up time to reflect on former students whose lives you changed. You have influenced the lives of far more students than you know, and now is a good time to think about former students and what they have done since leaving your direct influence. You might also recall breakthrough moments, such as times when students began to show a new level of maturity or maybe just started to take their learning more seriously.
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Think about a teacher who inspired you—then reach out to them. Most teachers experienced at least one teacher who had an especially strong influence on them. They may even be the reason we chose to teach as a profession. Summer is a good time to reflect on who they were, the influence they had, and the impact they had on us. This activity alone can be meaningful, but taking the additional step of reaching out to them can make the reflection even more powerful.
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Start a journal on meaningful teaching moments. Reflect on times when you knew your teaching had an impact, your advice led a student to make a better choice, or you seized a teachable moment that led to unanticipated learning. You might even include entries describing difficult teaching moments when you learned something important or navigated a difficult emotional situation. Don’t be surprised if this activity leads to new insights and increased appreciation for your professional and interpersonal skills.
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Attend workshops or conferences that inspire, not just inform. Professional learning opportunities that build skills and expose us to new strategies and techniques are important. However, experiences that leave us inspired and hopeful about the work we do can be equally valuable. They can remind us of the influence we have and the difference we make by who we are and how we engage students, not just what we share through formal lessons.
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Read articles and listen to podcasts that provoke new thinking. Often, new ideas and shifts in our thinking come from information we encounter, in formats that allow us to reflect, examine, and “try on” what we are exposed to. We might even want to read or listen more than once to fully absorb the implications and possibilities of new thinking to which we are exposed. Learning at our own pace and in our own way can be a refreshing and meaningful experience.
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Spend time with inspiring colleagues to talk about ideas. It can be tempting to spend our time with colleagues complaining about and criticizing what we see as needing attention. These conversations can be cathartic and emotionally soothing, but when we invest our time with colleagues who inspire and challenge our thinking, the conversations can be exhilarating and productive. Often, the best ideas and most important learning come from people who understand our world and offer a different “take” or a new idea about how to make things better.
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Informally mentor an aspiring or new teacher. Mentoring an inexperienced educator can be a great way to become more aware of the skills and expertise we possess. The fact is that we know more than we realize. The experience can also be a means of reconnecting with why this work is so important and of reminding us of its rewards, and spending time with aspiring or new teachers can be a great way to give back to the profession.
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Keep a notebook or file on ideas, observations, and insights about teaching. Summer can be a time when we think of new ideas, fresh approaches, and interesting possibilities. However, unless we capture those ideas, they can be lost as the summer unfolds. Equally important, the process of thinking through and recording our ideas and insights can be a stimulus for even more creativity and additional possibilities.
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Choose one meaningful area to focus on for improvement. Lots of ideas and opportunities for improvement can be energizing; they can give us multiple options to consider. Nevertheless, too many goals and initiatives can become overwhelming as the new year begins. As a result, good ideas can get lost and never generate the outcomes we imagine. After considering the possibilities, choose one area that will make an important difference. Once that goal has been accomplished, the list can be revisited, and another area for improvement might be selected.
Not every activity suggested in this article may feel comfortable or meaningful to you, and that’s okay! What is important is that your summer break involves more than simply physical separation from the classroom. By reflecting, reminiscing, refocusing, and recommitting, you can set the stage for an optimistic and energetic start to the next school year.
