As a teacher, May (or even June) is the hardest month. Everyone is tired … the students, the teachers, the bus drivers, even the dry erase markers start to seem tired. And, let’s be real, this school year has been one of the most difficult and exhausting years that teachers have ever experienced.
It is very tempting to throw the towel in a few weeks early and let the kids watch movies as you start planning out your wonderful and exciting summer. We’ve all been there! But finishing out the year with strong instruction and routines is absolutely worth it. In the long run, you will be less stressed and it will set students up for success when they return to school.
#1 – Finish Progress Monitoring
This will be very important information for your kiddos when they return to school in the fall. Right before you wrap up instruction for the year (just before field day and the end-of-year field trips), take a final benchmark for each student’s IEP goals. Keep this, along with any progress monitoring data you have from this school year, and put it in a folder for each student. This way, their next teacher will have all the important current data for that student all in one place. That teacher will be able to use that data to plan and assess that student as soon as the school year starts!
#2 – Write High-Quality Progress Reports
The last thing teachers want to do in the last weeks of school is to sit down and write up a progress report on each student and each goal, but it is a crucial piece of their IEP. Use your progress monitoring data to describe exactly where the student is in relation to their goal. Describe the supports that are in place and how often the student uses those supports. Don’t be afraid to include any other information that a summer tutor or their next teacher might find valuable. For example:
“Given a list, K is able to read 8 out of 10 VCE words correctly in 25 seconds. She scoops and marks the words independently, but she often requires reminders to tap words out. K struggles with the long-u sound and often substitutes for a short-u sound.”
Keep in mind that these will provide important information to your student’s next teacher. Even if you will be their teacher next year, you will thank yourself for these reports – three months is a long time!
#3 – Introduce Students to their New Teachers & Classrooms
This is not just for elementary school! Many students experience anxiety about starting a new school year because they have new teachers and case managers and they will be in a different space in the building. They just don’t know what to expect. Making introductions at the end of the year will help students of all ages feel more comfortable and look forward to the next school year. If possible, arrange for your students to visit the next grade level classroom and meet the teachers. Even if there are multiple teachers per grade – it allows for relationships to start forming.
It can also be beneficial to have some students around to answer questions. For example, a few years ago my 5th graders went to the 6th-grade classroom to meet their new teachers and some of the 6th graders were there to give my students advice and to answer their questions. A lot of my students wanted to know about using lockers and how much homework they get assigned. It was very reassuring for my students to hear the 6th graders share their experiences.
#4 – Reflect on the School Year
What a year! This school year has certainly been one for the books, but even during a regular year, students make so many memories. Use this time at the end of the year to bring back some of those great memories! I have an “End-of-the-Year Student Reflection” printable ready-to-go in my TPT store. It gives students an opportunity to think about what they learned and how much they have grown throughout the year.
If you had students complete any “get to know me” activities at the beginning of the year, have them fill it out now. They can compare to their beginning-of-the-year answers and reflect on how they have changed (and maybe even why they changed).
You can also reflect on your year as a teacher! Reflection is one of the most powerful tools that teachers have to improve our practice. Personally, I tried many new things this year when my school was completely virtual and in a hybrid model. Some of the programs and strategies that I learned to use were really useful! This is also a time to think about your professional goals as a teacher and how you might use (a tiny bit) of your summer working toward those goals for next year.
#5 – Prepare Summer Work for Students
I resisted summer work for many years. It seemed like a lot of work on my end for very little return – students wouldn’t do it and/or their next teacher would not incorporate it. But when summer work is planned carefully and with intention, it can be immensely beneficial for students. It helps them to remain academically engaged and to avoid a “summer slide.”
Start by consulting with next year’s teachers about their first units – are there prerequisite skills or background knowledge that students should work on in order to be successful? This ensures that the summer work will be meaningful to their learning.
Assign in moderation and keep your students in mind. Kids are often taking family trips and going to camps throughout the summer which means things can get chaotic. You are better off assigning a book or 2 short readings and a carefully selected packet of math skills than sending home weekly assignments. Think: “if they put this off to the last minute, can they get the work done in 4-5 days?” Less is more when assigning summer work.
Finally, be clear in your communication with parents. In the end, they will probably be the ones making sure this work gets finished. They should understand the purpose for the summer work and how it will benefit their child.
It has been such a tumultuous and challenging year! I encourage you to finish this year strong for yourself, your students, and your colleagues. And then relax and enjoy our well-deserved break!