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Summer Days in a Learning Haze

 Like the high school musical scene counting down to vacation, many teachers have a never ending chant of "summer, summer, summer" running through their heads this month. This school year, more than any other, we need a break. The problem is, we also need time to make changes to our curriculum and instruction based on learning some tough pandemic lessons.

How do we reconcile a summer free to frolic in the sunshine with knowing that summer learning often produces creativity and inspiration?

My answer? Podcasts. Books. Rest.

This summer, teachers may feel like rebelling against traditional workshops and learning experiences. We need time away from the infrastructure of school in order to get some healthy distance and perspective. This is where independent learning while lounging poolside can fill the gap.

Are you going to take a walk on a gorgeous summer day? Listen to a short educational podcast while you do so. Do you have a toes in the sand vacation planned? Supplement your romance novel with an occasional chapter from an educational book you've been meaning to read. It doesn't have to be a lot, but we can all sprinkle some instructional inspiration throughout our summer without feeling overburdened.

Here are a few of my favorites for your summer learning consideration.

Podcasts

Cult of Pedagogy is a go-to podcast for many educators. There are a few recent episodes that could provide short, easily implemented information to consume in the lazy summer months.

1. Introducing the HyperRubric

2. 8 Ways to Grow Students' Vocabulary

3. 4 Laws of Learning (and How to Follow Them)

Spark Creativity is another podcast brimming with practical ideas for providing student choice and more engaging creative lessons. The creator, Betsy Potash, was a high school English teacher. However, her creative strategies could be adapted for any content area, and I always find a quick idea to implement when I listen for thirty minutes. The following could provide engaging ideas for any content area.

1. How to Create a Hexagonal Thinking Deck

2. 10 Ways to Fill a Hole in Your Curriculum

3. 6 Free Canva Tools for Teachers

You can also seek out your own favorite podcast with this Edutopia article highlighting popular podcasts for educators this year. No matter what you choose, podcasts are hot right now and could be the perfect dose of summer learning.

Books

In addition to whiling away the sunny summer listening to podcasts, finding a few key chapters in educational books could be a palatable way to integrate independent learning.

Learning That Transfers, by Julie Stern, Krista Ferraro, Kayla Duncan, and Trevor Aleo, is a text we should all read as we think about globalization, learning, and helping students understand larger concepts. If you only have time for one chunk of the text, definitely check out chapter eight and its focus on instructional design strategies for learning transfer. 

Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, by Peter Liljedahl, has been classroom altering for many educators this year. His ideas around moving from a culture of mimicking and faking to one of thinking and learning are simple and effective. If you can only engage with a small portion of the book this summer, I highly recommend chapter two around grouping strategies and chapter three around where students do work. They do not get to the heart of the thinking classroom, but those chapters will definitely get students up and active enough for you to see the power of the thinking classrooms movement.

Blended Learning with Google, by podcaster and educational blogger Kasey Bell, is an easy, practical, handbook style text with a ton of readily available Google resources and ideas. If your focus for learning this summer is on how to incorporate the free Google suite of resources in ways that make your classroom full of choices and creativity, then you can open to any chapter of this book and get some ideas. I recommend chapter 6 as one chapter you can dive into to see several tools that go beyond using technology just for the sake of technology. The chapter covers collaborative tools for note-taking, storytelling, and peer feedback that can be used in any classroom.

Additional recommendations can be found on this list from Book Authority. There are so many educational books available, and that list can get overwhelming. Check with other teachers and sources you trust to find a good text that meets your needs.

This summer, let a light, hazy cloud of learning descend upon you in the form of some short, meaningful bursts of inspiration mingled with your rest and relaxation. Enjoy your break!



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