Last week I wrote about helping families prepare for Spring Break. This week I want to talk about educators preparing for Spring Break.
Just as there are ways to help prepare students and families for Spring Break, there are also ways you might prepare for the break. Your body and mind need to have time to decompress before moving into standardized testing windows, finishing out the year strong, and prepping for next year. Teaching, paperwork, admin, students, families, and the many other things on school plates, no matter how much you love what you are doing, takes a toll on us. So, take your break.
Some things you might do to have the entire time off to relax (admittedly some of this means a little extra time the week or two before break):
- Finish any grading of papers or assessments that are still on your desk.
- Turn off all school related notifications the Friday before break.
- Put an away message up stating you are on break until such and such a date and will not be checking e-mail during that time (do the same for voicemail if you have it).
- Unless a contractual obligation to keep your school laptop with you, leave it locked up at school.
- Have the lesson plans for the week you return completed prior to leaving for break.
- Ask for a couple of volunteers to help prepare any copies or other materials needed for the week you return for your lessons.
- Commit to not doing any work over break, to relax while you are off.
In full transparency, it took me several years to practice what I’ve discussed. Don’t follow my example, be a faster learner than I was. Take time for yourself and your family. Give your brain and body a break to come back more refreshed. Read a trashy novel, not a mentor text. Binge watch that one TV show or movie you haven’t had time to watch. Sit and enjoy the sunrise, sunset, or both, sipping on your favorite beverage.
Do whatever relaxes you, school will be there when you return, so don’t think about it until the day before going back.
Enjoy!
In what ways do you prepare for Spring Break?