It is that time of the year again… the end of the school year! Like many teachers around the world, you are probably up to your eyeballs in end of the year testing, getting final report cards ready, correcting, preparing end of the year parties/ graduation ceremonies, etc. Yes, it is that time of the year when you feel like time is on perpetual fast forward and the demands of being an educator seems to press down on our shoulders like a ton of bricks. It’s my 19th year of teaching so I have a pretty good idea of what end of the school year insanity feels and looks like. With all those years of experience and several trial and error experiments, I have come up with a list of 3 ways that have helped me beat the end of the year insanity.
#1. Prioritize Your End of the Year Tasks
Make a list of all the things you have to complete by the very last day of school. Once you have done that, break that list into smaller, more manageable ones. If you are feeling overwhelmed, ask for parent volunteers to come in and help out. They can help out with classroom clean ups/ pack ups, they can put together your end of the year presents to your students, and a lot of other tasks that seem so overwhelming right now. Stick to the most important tasks on your list, cross them off when you are finished, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
#2. Get Your Sleep
You have been giving it your all each and every school day for the past 9 months. You are borderline exhausted and the most challenging few weeks are just ahead of you. You need to sleep! Thinking that just a few more hours awake to get in a few more corrections or another episode of your favourite Netflix show will only bring more harm than good. Your students need you to be at your 100% best… and you need to be at your best for you, too.
#3. Take a Day Off
You might not be in a position to take an actual day off during your school week, but if you are, do yourself and your students a favour and take a day off to rest up and relax. If you are unable to do this during the work week, reserve a Saturday or Sunday for a “me” day. Leave all the school work and worries at your classroom desk, arrange for a babysitter if need be, and spend the day doing something you enjoy doing that you don’t have the time to do during this hectic time of the year. Taking just one day off to really relax and focus on you can be all it takes to shake up your energy and motivation levels and give you that extra little push you need to get you through those final weeks of school.
Do you have any tip to add to my list? If you answered yes, please leave your tip in the comments section below!
Have a great day!
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