An Educators REAL Summer~

Have You Ever Wondered How Teachers Spend Their Summer?
My Summer Break

Recently, I took part in an online book club, #cyberpd, we read and shared our thoughts on Opening Minds by Peter Johnson. This was an online study group hosted by Cathy (Ohio), Jill (Colorado), and Laura (Illinois). As a culminating event, they also hosted a tweet chat and reading through the tweets I noticed Peter Johnston actually joined our conversation! Imagine talking in real time with educators all over the country about one book, now imagine the AUTHOR joining the chat! To a reader this is an awe struck moment! You begin to wonder, has he read MY blog, all of my thoughts on his work and reflections of my practice? I hope so I hope not?
As I continued to read I found this tweet ~

Peter Johnston ‏@JohnstonzPeter

Been a privilege to participate. Where's the press when teachers in own time are so thoughtfully thinking through their teaching?#cyberPD

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Where's the press indeed! 
I know teachers who do amazing things for kids everyday.  They are not looking for recognition, they do it because they know it matters.  Teachers do it because they know their practice in the classroom builds the citizens of our communities.
I am proud to be an educator; I truly believe our society is dependent on our kids. I want each student in my classroom to develop a dynamic learning mindset that will encourage them to seek challenges, to work in collaboration and to see mistakes as opportunities for learning. It's not enough for my kids to implement these skills, I want my kids to teach others what they know.

The Envious Summer Break~
As a teacher I am often teased about the summer break. I can certainly understand their perspective~ the summer break is envious. I am not afraid to tell you it's something I look forward to all year and I spend much of the school year planning for my break!

Let the Planning Begin~

•  Collect titles of professional books I want to read over the summer.
•  Look for professional development opportunities (I prefer to attend conferences in the summer so I don't interrupt instructional time during the year).
• Build my Professional Learning Network through various social media so I can learn and share with other teachers around the world.
• Collect ideas for further blog post, things I want to reflect on more.
• Set aside time to meet with colleagues to reflect on our year and start planning for the next year.
• Oh, I forgot to mention I do reserve some time to splash around with my family and my friends at the beach or even enjoy an extra long leisurely lunch from time to time.

Best-Laid Plans?
So I made all the plans and my summer is coming to a close, so how did I do?

• Participated in #cyberpd reading Opening Minds by Peter Johnson with over 20 other educators across the country AND the author of the book! 
• Blogged weekly with students
• Read several early chapter books to learn more about this genre
• Read and reflected on Mindset by Carol Deweck
• Lead 3 professional development sessions in my district
• Attended ILE conference 
• Attended leadership classes 
• Attended building retreat
• Participated in several meeting with colleagues throughout Columbus to share thinking and build new ways of making learning better
• Attended Summer Academy Workshops
• Reflected here in my blog regularly
• Read and interacted with tweets each day
• Read and commented on professional blogs daily
• Shopped for supplies for our classroom
• Still to come… PB10 for 10
• Long lunches with colleagues
• Pool side chats with my daughters

As I read this post I am hesitant, this is not meant to be boastful, this is what teachers REALLY do in the summer! As you can see from the pictures above I am not alone.