Top Ways for Substitutes to Recharge This Summer

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What do substitute teachers do during the summer? It’s a common question and there are many possibilities. Some subs find part time jobs like tutoring or teaching at summer school programs. Others take time off and spend it with family and friends. Still others go on vacations or stay-cations.

Summers are not as long as they used to be, and school seems to start earlier each year. I am lucky enough to take the summer off and enjoy my family and friends. I can even go on a couple of short vacation trips before school begins. In this article I’d like to share some of the things I do during the summer break to reharge and come back into the school year refreshed!

Summer is a Teacher’s Time for Reflection, Rest and Relaxation

At the end of the school year, I like to reflect on my subbing experiences. I jot down notes about schools, classes, things I’ve learned, new technology, etc. I review my work calendar to see which months I worked the most and least. It’s always useful to make time to reflect on how things went for me as a sub during the past year.

I also follow schools on social media in order to check for personnel changes, such as new staff hires and staff moves. I start filling in my current monthly planner with upcoming school-related activities, holidays and miscellaneous items. This helps me pre-plan my work calendar for the next school year. I can make preference changes in the Frontline Absence Management platform, and I can reactivate as a sub for the next year when the district sends out the notification. Summer is always a good time to review the substitute teacher’s handbook for any changes or updates.

Summer is a Chance to Soak Up Some Professional Development

There aren’t many professional development opportunities for substitute teachers that are free or offered by a school district. I usually get notified of required district cybersecurity online training throughout the year and I complete those. Frontline has a Resource Library with a few topics such as classroom management and how to teach in front of a class. Other than that, there’s not much out there, so I try to search for my own professional development.

TED Talks about education are informative. I have watched a few good ones from Sir Ken Robinson and Rita Pierson. In addition, I regularly read articles from educational websites such as Edutopia and listen to educational podcasts like Cult of Pedagogy and Substitute Teachers Lounge. Every summer, my school district hosts an online Digital Learning Conference that is free. I get to pick and choose which sessions that will help me keep up with technology use in the classroom or sessions about creativity in the classroom. As a substitute, I don’t really work with a lot of technology besides using the Promethean board, Google slides, Kahoot, or Kami, but it’s good to know what the students will use in the classroom. 

Relishing in the Free Time of Summer

Summer is not all about preparing for the next school year.

I use this time to get back to my hobbies like cooking and baking, watching shows on Netflix, reading books, crafting, exercising and shopping. I am always trying to make quick and nutritious meals for my family, so during the summer I have the time to try new recipes.

I love watching movies and shows on Netflix, but I also like going to the movie theater. Each summer, I pick a few movies to see with friends and family. I enjoy the theater experience! Reading has been a passion of mine ever since I was a child. I enjoy reading mystery, historical fiction, Young Adult, and travel books. I’m often at the library checking out books and attending programs for adults like lectures or craft time.

During the year, I always do some form of exercise like yoga or walking. Having time off lets me step it up a bit in the gym or in exercise classes like Zumba and Pilates. 

Shopping is also fun for me. I like to go to thrift stores and I like to shop at malls.  Most of the time I just go to look around. I like to take my time to browse and get ideas for home decor and craft projects. I prefer going into stores rather than online shopping because I can touch an object and see the displays in person. 

A Chance for a Self-Care Summer

Summer time doesn’t have to be filled to the max.

I enjoy my downtime doing nothing or doing solitary activities such as writing and drinking coffee in a cafe. I enjoy sleeping late and going to bed whenever I want.  I can stay in pajamas until the afternoon while watching tv or texting or calling friends. Since my teenager is pretty self sufficient, I’m lucky I can just relax for a few hours. I’m lucky to have my family close by so I can visit them as well. It’s nice to sit and talk with family. 

Summer time for me is time to catch up on fun activities and spending time with friends and family. It’s a time to try new things and travel to new places in town or out of town.

I hope subs everywhere use this time of year to take care of themselves in order to be ready for the busy school year. I wish you all a relaxing summer!