“Twelve more days!” Those were the words heard around the table last Friday evening. This time of year my teaching buddies rib me about my year-round job by relishing in the fact that they’re closing in on a much deserved summer break. But it didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that for this group of educators there was still plenty to be accomplished. The conversation rapidly shifted from testing, to tutoring, to retesting, to completing paperwork, to keeping overly zealous students engaged and out of mischief. In time, talk drifted on to personal survival plans. Consuming massive amounts of chocolate and caffeinated drinks sounded right down my alley! One teacher declared that at this time of year she relies on a collection of motivational quotes. Another teacher gave props to The Mailbox® magazine ideas for keeping her students engaged. But I have to tell you I was especially intrigued by the gal who claimed that coconut-scented lotion (I’m not kidding!) was all she needed to get her across the finish line. I assumed she wears it, but I didn’t ask!
So what propels you and your students across the finish line? Do you plan special activities and projects? Do you eat special foods? Do you have a favorite quote that motivates you? Please share! I can’t wait to hear from you! And in the meantime, I’ll check out the coconut-scented lotion. …
Kudos to you!
Diane
Congratulations to Lynn of Dayton, Ohio. She is the winner of the Grades 4–5 Building Math Basics book in our weekly blog drawing.
Between Starbucks and Diet Coke, caffeine helps me get through all of the paperwork, but it takes a bit more to get my students to the finish line. In the last week of school, we put on a play for other classrooms. This involves practice and making our own costumes. The kids love it, and the teachers love that I have given them something to do on the last day even if it is for just a few short minutes!
Using my list of things to do and staying focused on it helps me a lot. Everday after school I would make a list of things that needed done for the next day and then things I would for the next few days and just start working on them and crossing them off. For some reason it made it get done faster!
Our kindergarten and first grade teams get together and have an ourdoor game time. Each teacher is responsible for planning a game, ie: duck, duck goose, relay games etc. The students are divided and rotate every few minutes to the next game until they have done all of the games. My class then has popsicles to cool off.
It gives us teachers a chance to interact with the kids in a fun way and deal with the wiggles we ALL have! :0)
As we too are required to put on an end of year performance in our school garden,we spend a part of each day getting ready for that.Our 2-3 year olds will host a fun evening at a park where they will sing a few songs and play games with their parents observing.the 4-6 year olds will perform some dances and songs and this year`s theme is “Mama Mia”.the kids love dancing and really enjoy getting ready for this event.of course little treats are always thrown in as little perks!these events are held on the last few days so it is a nice way to say good bye preschool and hello summer.
For me I do not get to see the end (due to working with two year olds) but I have gotten to slow down a bit. We started our summer planning a week ago and officially began our summer on June 1. The preschool teacher and I have chosen our themes for the summer. It is so exciting to know that we don’t have to wear the winter coats and do quite as much and we get to take it easy for the next three months. Right now I am trying to keep things straight and get everything ready for when I get to go on vacation in July. I am making a list and checking things off and making a new list. That is how I have been preparing for summer.
This year with my 2nd grade class we did an ABC countdown to the end of the year. Each day was something special to go with that letter. For example–A was Awesome Art Day. That day we made flowers with paper plates and put their picture in the middle. B was Beach Book Day. That day we went to the library with our beach towel and book from home and read. We had a great time doing this. It made the students still in the mood for school even as the last days were approaching.
This is my first year in first grade and we are celebrating our progress as readers in two ways. We are working on two reader’s theater plays that we are inviting the other first grades, parents, and administrators to come and see and we are having a “read-in,” complete with pillows, blankets, slippers, stuffed animals, and, of course, our favorite books from home. I saved these activities because the kids are so enthusiastic about working on them and preparing for them that time just flies!
Last year when I was in third grade we put up a bulletin board with synonyms for “the end” and “good-bye.” The kids loved the challenge of finding new words to add and we leearned more every day the last few weeks of school.
Lastly, no matter what grade I’m teaching, I like to have the kids reflect on the year and have them each make a memeory book. We take our time on it and reflect on each subject area, as well as specials. By the time they are finished writing and illustrating, they have a really nice keepsake (that took a long time to complete!).
All of that, plus a lot of caffeine, helps me get through the last few weeks of school. Btw, only nine days left – but who’s counting????
My third graders are writing books called The ABCs of Third Grade. They are reflecting back on all that they learned this year…both serious and silly. We’re going to share them with the 2nd graders/incoming third graders before the year is over. The kids are really invested in the project and can’t wait to share!
Kindergarten Graduation is always a big thing so we spend the last few weeks perparing our songs and poems and making the many decorations for the parents to see as they entered our classroom on graduation night.
We too, get excited for our kindergarten graduation, and not to mention FIELD TRIPS!! Also after testing we give the students ice cream parties. The last 26 days of school we do an ABC countdown where we celebrate each letter with something special. Were on letter T, almost there!!!
Sheila
Would you be willing to share your whole alphabet of ideas for the ABC countdown at the end of the year?? I love your idea!! My email address is ssvv@aol.com if you’d rather email – Thanks- Val