The 3 R's of Summer-Part 1

 

 

What are the 3 R's of your summer?

Relax, Refresh, Rejuvenate!

These are the 3 that I think are necessary to get ready for the next school year. But what do you do to make each of them happen? How do you relax? What do you do that refreshes you? How do you rejuvenate and get the enthusiasm and energy back after a long year of teaching? Do you have a plan to make your summer fun, worthwhile, interesting, and, hopefully, get you ready for the new school year?

Relax: to reduce or stop work, effort, application, etc., especially for the sake of rest or recreation.

How do you relax? Do you plan time to relax? What if you took 20-30 minutes a day, every day, this summer, to really unwind, relax, meditate, do "nothing"?  If 30 minutes seems too long, start with 5 or 10 minutes per day. Then reflect on what that "down" time has done for your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Do you notice any changes?

My idea of relaxing is to sit in my favorite chair with a cup of coffee and my knitting bag. Well, that is just one of the ways I like to relax. Taking time to do things I like to do, or am interested in--reading a book just for the fun of it, not because I have to; reading a "professional" book that I have been wanting to read but just haven't had time to do; taking a class to learn something new--a new knitting technique, an online course, etc. I am not usually one to just sit and do nothing. But I probably should--sitting still for 5 - 10 minutes is still doing something. There are benefits to being "still" for a few minutes every day.

Practicing relaxation exercises/ techniques on a daily basis can produce, over time, a general feeling of relaxation and increased well-being that benefits every area of your life. When you feel relaxed and at ease, you feel more in control which leads to calm, realistic responses. Deep breathing, meditation, yoga, music and art therapy are a few techniques to get yourself to a truly relaxed state. But it takes practice.

Check out these ideas for getting started at: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/hr/hrdepts/asap/Documents/Relaxation_Techniques.pdf 

 

In the Spotlight:

Subtext--an app for Book Discussions

Subtext is a free iPad app that can be used for students and teachers to have digital book discussions.



Using Subtext you can:

•  Read ebooks
• Annotate ebooks
• Create quizzes about ebooks
• Write blog posts about the ebooks read

There are options for private and public book discussion groups and you can build bookshelves for groups.
More resources on using this in your classroom 

• Social Reading on the iPad: Subtext X Custom ePub
• Infusing Technology to Empower All Learners...written by Martha Lackey
• Using Subtext in the Classroom to Promote Collaboration and Communication

Peggy Steinbronn, Ed.D.