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Summer. It is the perfect time to rest, recuperate, and reset. Our emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, and financial backpacks are often empty by the time we make it through a school year. Educators give their all, and often quite a bit more, throughout the school year. Teaching is simultaneously rewarding and exhausting. In fact, in his article “Teacher Burnout Statistics: Why Teachers Quit in 2023” Devlin Peck states, “K-12 teachers are the #1 most burnt-out profession in The United States.” Because we give so much of ourselves to our students and their families, it is critical that we recharge and recuperate on a regular basis, and especially during the summer. Here are 10 ways you can take care of yourself and fill your backpack.

Of course, getting rest can include sleeping in, relaxing during a pedicure, and lying in the sun with a good book. Getting rest can, and should, also include being proactive and protecting your time.

1. Satisfy the senses. Is there a candle fragrance that you like? Buy it and use it. Do you feel better when you let your ears listen to good music? Get a massage. Buy some fresh flowers to please your eyes and your sense of smell. Try a new food or a new restaurant.

2. Practice saying “No.” I mean it. You don’t even have to say “no” out loud to someone yet; just practice. You know how we practice fire drills? The premise is that we want our body to remember where to go and what to do in an emergency, so we practice it during a time of non-emergency. That way our body will remember what to do even if we are in a stressful situation. Practice saying “no.” Say it out loud right now. If you are in a coffee shop, or somewhere else in public, you can whisper it. Once you have a chance to get by yourself, practice saying it out loud. No. Not, “No thank you” with a reason attached to it. Not, “I’m sorry, but . . .” Just plain old no. Practice saying it. When you get better at it, and you feel good about it, try saying it out loud to someone. Get good at saying “No” so that you can use it when you need it. Then, when you need it, say it.

In addition to rest, we need to rebuild and strengthen. Not only do we need to recuperate our bodies, but we must also tend to our minds and hearts.

3. How are you adding joy to your life? If getting a pedicure truly adds joy, then yes, that can be part of your selfcare. If, instead, your joy is in reading a good book, carve out time to do that. If it’s cooking, bird watching, weightlifting, or watching documentaries—whatever your thing is, allow yourself to do it from time to time. Guilt-free.

4. Say “yes” to a big event. When was the last time you went to a concert? Or the zoo? Or went on a little vacation? Find something that you would enjoy, that you haven’t done in a while, and say yes to that. Buy the tickets, book the flight, plan the excursion. Allow yourself to look forward to the event.

5. Go play outside! Go for a hike or go down a slide at the playground. Get some sunshine, or go watch the stars. You decide how and when you want to spend your time outside, but go get some fresh air and enjoy the great outdoors in some capacity.

6. Learn something new. Sign up for an art class, a martial arts class, a foreign language, or a cooking class.

Like all breaks, summer will come to an end before you know it. Taking some time to reset and establish some routines and patterns might help carry the goodness into the school year. These are some simple things that are sustainable enough to become new habits, or at least activities you might remember to do from time-to-time.

7. Make a decision about how you can best take care of your body. Do you need more rest? Do you need to walk more? Do you need more nutritious food? Pick one way that you can be better to your body, and add more of that to your life. Just pick one thing. When you try to do all of it, feelings of failure and defeat happen more quickly. Just pick one and add more of it—sleep,

Summer Self Care (cont.)

10. Do something for someone else. I know, this is a self-care list, but sometimes getting our mind off of ourselves is good for us. Doing for others is good for us, too. Volunteer at a food pantry or soup kitchen. Mow the lawn for your neighbor. Make a double batch nutritious food, or more walking. Unless there is something else that your body needs more. Choose that. Choose you! of brownies and deliver some to your friends. Write a letter to someone you love and send it through the mail.

8. Inventory your support system. Do you have a group of friends or family who show up for you? Do you belong to a faith group, an organization, or a club that includes people who are part of your network? Keep building your team, and maybe send some of them a quick text to say thank you for being a part of your life.

9. Practice more gratitude. Make a list of things for which you are thankful. Keep adding to it. The nice thing about making a list is that you can use it as a resource on days when you struggle to think of something. Can you think of someone right now who you can thank for something? Let them know by text or phone call.

Ultimately, you know the best way to help yourself feel rested, rejuvenated, and joyful. Trust yourself and be intentional about adding a steady supply of those things to your days, your weeks, your life. Keeping your backpack full needs to be a frequent and intentional practice. Take good care of yourself so you can bring your best self to your students. They deserve the best version of you. You know who else deserves it? You do! You matter, so take good care of yourself.

References

Peck, Devlin. “Teacher Burnout Statistics: Why Teachers Quit in 2023.” DevlinPeck.Com (2023, May 31).

DevlinPeck.Com https://www. devlinpeck.com/content/teacherburnout-statistics

Throughout nineteen years of education experience, Julie Hoffman, EdD, has taught in urban, rural, suburban, and alternative schools in Illinois. She earned her Doctor of Education in Literacy from Judson University in 2018. She is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and is currently President of the Illinois Reading Council (IRC). Her passion for children’s literature and Young Adult literature, fused with her interest in social and emotional learning, makes her a strong advocate for all students, especially the underserved. Julie values literature as a means to introduce students to resilience and hope.

Balancing everything throughout a school year is hard enough, and although some look forward to a “relaxing” summer, it never is! Between sports camps, pool trips, and getting ready for the next school year, it is hard to truly relax and recharge! This summer I have made it a goal of mine to grow and learn—in and out of the classroom. From planting a garden and wildflowers with my kids, to presenting a wide range of professional development to teachers this summer, I am ready to take it all on, and have fun doing it!

Every spring when the weather starts to warm up, I get an extra boost of energy that summer is around the corner. The end of the school year gets crazy with field days, cleaning classrooms and final goodbyes, but it is also the perfect opportunity to reflect and get ready to improve the following year. This spring, I reached out to the Joliet Professional Development Alliance, which I have been working with for some time, and we created a professional development schedule for local teachers to be able to receive PD close to home! From technology tips to networking with fellow content teachers, it has been fantastic to see educators spend a few hours over their summer break to get new ideas and collaborate with one another. I have also found by planning and presenting this summer, I am spending a few hours each week looking for new ideas or trends such as Artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom which has kept me up to date with the future of education and able to grow as an educator. As a technology instructional coach at Morris Grade School, it is a high priority of mine to find the best tools and resources to engage and motivate students and teachers.

Outside of school, I am busy with my three kids who are 10, 7, and 4. From baseball/softball games to signing up for a variety of sports camps, they have kept me busy. Due to these crazy schedules, I have had to get very organized in trying to balance it all. One thing I created at the beginning of the summer to keep my days running smoothly, is a weekly calendar in which I print and input events occurring each day, a weekly dinner menu, and a chore chart for each kid. Every Sunday morning, I sit down and write out the week and post it on the refrigerator for easy reference for everyone in the house. This little tool has helped me grow as a mom and make my life a little simpler. When the school year begins, I will continue to utilize this weekly organizer in my home as well as use one for my role in school.

Between professional growth and running around crazy as a mom, I have