Summer Options for Classroom Teachers
The Summer Break Affords Numerous Opportunities for Growth
Apr 23, 2009
There is an old joke in education that there are three good reasons to become a teacher: June, July, and August. After nine months of being on the academic tread mill, in many cases non-stop, teachers, perhaps even more than students, count down the days until their contractual responsibilities end for the school year. But then comes the summer. Beyond an exhaustive reading list, there are many worthwhile options for teachers in the weeks between school years.
Some of the following suggestions allow teachers to participate in several different activities. In other cases, however, the timing of activities and programs prohibits multiple experiences and teachers will have to select in advance what is most appealing. At the same time, teachers should always build periods of extended rest into the proverbial summer vacation before getting on the academic tread mill again after Labor Day.
Leading a Summer Trip
This activity requires many months of pre-planning but the rewards are many both for teachers and students, particularly if the trip destinations are foreign countries. Many reputable companies such as EF, NETC, Explorica, CHA, and Passports provide hundreds of interesting itineraries. Organizing and preparing these adventures is not difficult. The summer trip can be an educational and fun option.
Taking Summer Courses
This is an excellent option for teachers wishing to diversify their academic credentials, pursue a graduate program, or fulfill state requirements relevant to certification renewal credit. Some institutions, like the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Program in the Humanities and Human Values, offer inexpensive yet highly interesting weekend seminars.
The National Endowment for the Humanities offers a number of superb summer courses taught at excellent universities. Stipend awards cover travel, books, and lodging. State education departments may also have state-funded and facilitated summer study programs.
Adjunct Teaching and Reading for the College Board
Teachers with advanced subject-area degrees may elect to teacher summer adjunct courses at local colleges, community colleges, and universities. Adjunct teaching carries few if any administrative responsibilities and provides a different level of instruction that might be refreshing.
Some teachers spent the third week of June reading Advanced Placement examinations for the College Board. Each subject area is located at different cities throughout the country. This could range from Daytona to Louisville, Kentucky. Readers are well paid and travel costs are picked up by the College Board.
Part Time Employment
At a time when the economy is slow and people are working to pay down debt, the part time summer job is an option. Unlike adjunct teaching, teachers in everyday part-time jobs such as retail sales or the food industry enjoy a sense of release while making extra money. One teacher who steadfastly worked summer retail jobs stated that because it was not a primary employment, he could enjoy the work more.
Another summer employment option particularly good for teachers might be working as a domestic tour director for tour operators like Smithsonian Student Travel. Additionally, there are European-based tour companies that look for tour directors to facilitate tours of the United States for a European clientèle.
Taking the Summer Off
Many teachers may not desire any structured activities after the last exams have been graded and the classroom is emptied of posters and student projects. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a few weeks of leisure and rest. Critics of teachers often fail to realize the long hours teachers devote during the 9-10 months of active instruction.
The summer can be a healthy respite for grueling instructional schedules and the numerous other responsibilities associated with being an active member of a school learning community. There is no guilt in going to the pool or spending a week or two at the beach, reading the latest fiction best-sellers, and rebooting physical and mental energies.
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