Before the end of the school year sneaks up on you and wallops you upside the back of the head, stop right now and think about some of the lessons you’ve learned this year. If you haven’t noted the people you want to thank, the compliments you’ve wanted to give, or the ideas you’ve had for next year, do it now. Here are some prompts to help you.
– Is the amount of homework you’re assigning balanced? Do you need to coordinate this better with your colleagues?
– Is your morning routine creating additional work for you or making your day easier?
– Think about the layout of your room. Was there something you wanted to try differently next year?
– Are students getting enough time to do their independent reading?
– Is there a better way to explain and assign partner games and group projects?
– At some point during the school year, you wanted to say something important to your co-teacher. Did you say it? Do you need to say it again?
– Have you thought about a thank-you gift for your classroom volunteer(s)?
– Who’s taking care of the class pet this summer?
– Can you incorporate some nice music into your end-of-the-day routine next year?
– Did you feel like you never quite got organized this year? Do you think you should start doing the little things to prepare for next year today?
If you have ideas for other prompts to help us all remember lessons and ideas from the past year, note them in the comments for everyone to see!