Dear Diary,
Tonight is the last night of summer-ugh. I can’t believe I am going to be in 6th grade. I really hope I have Ms. Miller- I heard she doesn’t give a lot of homework. I DON’T want to go back to reading or working out 20 problems in a math book. I want to be in the sun, at the pool, or getting blizzards at DQ. Why does summer have to end?
#nofilter #lastdayofsummer #backtoschool #dontmakemego #iwillmisssummer
Meetin’ new Ts tomorrow; can’t wait to see friends but NOT ready to do work or sit at a desk for 8 hours. #seeyanextsummer #writingcramp #headondesk #howifeel
Do any of these posts feel or look familiar? Is there a way, as teachers or administrators, that we can welcome students and staff back into our classrooms and schools by using and celebrating summer, rather than abruptly cutting it off?
The end to summer is bittersweet. While I am sad the “free” days are now over, I also love the beginning of school! Time to see my coworkers, prep my work space, and do what I LOVE- teach my students. This is my time to grow as an educator, collaborate, and learn about best practices for my students’ needs. In a different capacity, the school year also rejuvenates me! This is also true of our students; this is the year they will grow, learn more about themselves, and walk one step closer to learning about who they will be when they leave our classrooms.
Selfishly, giving students a transition period comes from personal experience and needs when it is time to go back to school. No longer are the days that I can eat a snack whenever I want, go to the restroom without a schedule, or get up when I feel like I need to move around and do something different. Let’s face it: getting back into a groove is TOUGH the first couple of weeks; forget that I can not remember how to put on makeup, I have to set an alarm, and breakfast is now on the go, but that going back to work means structure, hard work, and focus.
Think about our students; they are in the SAME boat! They are back on a schedule, following new rules, and away from friends and family. We have to remember that there is such a contrast in what their days look like from summer to school. While they may be excited and ready to see their friends in a social environment, there is often resistance or hesitation to begin school work again. Sooo, what if there wasn’t? What if we prolonged summer into a transitionary period during the first couple weeks of school?
Keep the kites flying, the sprinklers going, and the fun outdoors the focus in your “back to school” plans this 2019-2020 school year. Summer does not have to be over; use students’ love of summer to drive the first weeks of your culture building and curriculum.
Let the students’ surroundings become their learning playground. Use the WHOLE learning environment and not just the four walls of your classroom to help you accomplish these goals. Look at the tips below to help guide and remind you that learning can happen ANYWHERE! We can create authentic, meaningful learning experiences without feeling overwhelmed the first couple of school.
Step One: What do you want your students to learn? Determine the purpose of the activity. What are students ready to learn in your class at this point in the year?
Step Two: Think about your logistics: time, roles, materials.
Step Three: Just Do It– Nike- Give students a chance to just try and succeed, or try and fail! This is the time to build or support the culture of learning through failure.
Step Four: Reflect- Did your students actually learn anything from the lesson you designed? Did the lesson meet the learning objective? Did the lesson meet your objective? Did the lesson help students grow?
Learning using your environment allows for exploration, curiosity, creativity, and excitement; skills we want to encourage students to use at the beginning of the year. (Bramfeld and Seiss, 2019)
Check out some of the ideas below to use your environment and help students transition from summer to school!
- Asking students to write about their summer in a tweet, text, or Insta post to their friends (then, actually make it happen)—->your first informal writing assessment
- Host a photo booth —–> get a first glimpse at your students personalities
- Host a mini welcome fair —–>give students a chance to “talk” and interact with their classmates while you observe interaction
- Host fair games that test your classroom skills —-> these games become informal assessments of student knowledge
- Invite older students to help run your “back to school” activities —–> school culture building
- Host a scavenger hunt —–> allow students an informal and active way to get to know your room and the building
Have a great school year!
The Blend 