Reflect on this year and refine your plan for next year with these 5 end-of-the-year tasks for teachers.
As the school year winds down, teachers are in the midst of grade chaos and the bittersweet farewell to students.
But don’t leave for that well-deserved break until you take the time to do these 5 tasks.
#1 | Jot Down the Wins:
Take a breather and scribble down all the cool stuff that went down this year. Remember that awesome lesson that had everyone engaged? Or the project that turned out way better than expected?
Celebrate those wins – big or small.
It’s like making a highlight reel for your teaching career, and it helps you as you start thinking about your plan for next year.
#2 | Keep It Real: What Needs Fixing?
Alright, no one’s perfect, and that includes teachers.
Be honest with yourself and think about the things that didn’t quite hit the mark or fell a little short.
Maybe a lesson plan fell flat, or a classroom management procedure wasn’t very strong.
It’s not about beating yourself up – it’s about figuring out where you can level up for next year.
#3 | What’s Next on the Training Agenda?
In the spirit of self-improvement, pinpoint areas where a bit of extra training would be helpful (or necessary).
Is there a new teaching method you’ve been curious about or a tech tool you’ve seen people using to streamline their processes?
Although we don’t encourage a lot of “school” work during the breaks, we do like taking time to research workshops or classes that could help you grow!
#4 | Spring Clean Your Lessons:
Sometimes, lessons just don’t vibe with your students, and that’s okay.
The fourth task is to consider which lessons you need to bid farewell to or give a serious makeover.
It’s like decluttering your curriculum – keeping only the lessons that spark joy (and learning).
The same is true for your unit plans.
Maybe you have a particular unit or standard that you just don’t feel is pulling its weight. Consider using your planning time at the end of this year and the beginning of next year to explore other units or standard-based resources that could fill in that hole.
We’ve created a full unit plan (with included resources) for every 7th and 8th grade ELA standard. Click on the images below to learn more!
If you want help to understand the standards in preparation for next year…
#5 | Expand on the Hits:
On the flip side, think about those lessons that were total crowd-pleasers.
The ones where your students were actually excited to learn.
Take note of them and brainstorm how you can sprinkle more of that magic in the coming year into other units or topics.
For example, if your students love using escape rooms to review and practice skills, then grab a few more on some different topics. We have a whole slew of escape rooms for you to use in the classroom, covering a bunch of different holidays and topics!
So there you have it – end-of-the-year tasks teachers can use to wrap up the school year.
Use these 5 tasks to take a moment to reflect, learn, and plan for the next round.
Now, take a break! You’ve earned it!