SOL- May 26, 2015 Thinking About Summer Slide

SOL May 26, 2015

Thinking About Summer Slide

With 7 1/2 school days left my mind is naturally drifting toward summer. Last summer I was moving across the world, so I felt like I had little summer. School got out at the end of June then I had two weeks to get my apartment and life ship shape before moving thousands of miles away. Once I landed here I was immediately on the treadmill of finding a new place to live, getting phone service, etc before new teacher inservice started.

This summer I am here in Malaysia until July 2 because of Malaysian tax law, so my summer is starting a bit quietly. Once school ends on June 5th I will be working at summer school for three weeks. It is only half days (and the pay is great), so I think it will ease me into summer. I am leading two sessions a day of “Books, Books, Books”, one for 1st and 2nd graders and the other for 3rd-5th graders. My hope is that the first week I do not do any extra “school work”, but that in weeks two and three I give myself permission to do little bits of organizing (mostly in my brain and Google Drive). Then I will be off to the US for three weeks where I will visit with family and friends, attend nErDCamp, and possibly two other literacy oriented conferences.

The thing I love best about summer is time. Of course, I will read more (and share thanks to Donalyn Miller’s #bookaday. I will also participate in #cyberpd (and can’t wait to hear what the book choice is for this summer). I have a book stack so high I may never get through it, but that is one of the perks of summer- I might! I plan to do lots more writing (thanks to Kate Messner’s Teachers Write). I will also add to resources I have started collecting in my first year at a new school. I love time to look at new sites, apps, and assorted other resources. I will also have time to do NOTHING. I will happily watch the world go by and not wear a watch all summer long. I will have time for more walks, more conversation, more daydreaming.

This last week and a half before school ends, I am also thinking of summer slide for my students. I know they have exciting summers planned as well. Before school ends, we will share detailed reading plans (we make posters of the with who, what, where, when, why, and how of summer reading. Next week we will have a book swap. Our blogs will be open all summer and we will continue to write our weekly “It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?” Padlet to inspire each other. I have also put together a SQWORL of websites for summer fun and learning together for the students in case they need more ideas. I remember when my own kids were young we used to set aside about 30 minutes each day where we had “school” and they would read, write, practice math skills, and generally work on what they chose. I know it is important for kids to keep skills “sharp”, but I also wish for them a summer full of slide- where they can relax and do all the things they love that so many of them do not have the time for during the busy school year. I wish them lazy days, late nights, secret plans, and memories made.

It is almost summer for us and we are ready!