Stop Putting Yourself Last: How to Curate Your Best Teacher Summer Yet
Your expo markers are barely making streaks on the board but you can almost count the school days left on your hands (and maybe toes).
You are almost to the finish line.
Time to Curate Your Summer
If you are new around the G&G community you might now know our soapbox about focusing on you first and teaching second.
A lot of times we are thrust into the notion that we are teachers first.
We call bull.
We truly believe the best teachers focus on themselves first and then their career second. This can sound a little “woo-woo” and maybe you need some specific examples. Well I aim to please.
You choose your school based on the pay so you can support yourself/family
You leave at contract hours even when the to-do list is lengthy
You take sick days/personal days for anything you dang well please
You choose what FFA events you want to do not based on what your alumni/past advisor did
You plan your summer first and then fill in extended day/year requirements after
To help you curate the summer YOU want and need, we suggest working your way through 4 steps: me, you, us, school. Particularly in that order. Why?
Because I know you. I am similar to you. I (tend to) put everyone else’s responsibilities and needs above mine. Including my kids, husband, family, friends and students.
But, YOU need the break just as much as the kids. So we make sure we treat ourselves first, not last. Remember what they say in the airplane “put your mask on first before assisting others.” That is your summer mentality.
“Curate something for me, and then I will curate something for you”
4 Steps To Curating Your Best Teacher Summer Yet
ME
When I think about my summer I want to ensure I have an activity in each of my personal 3 circle model’s. iF you have no idea what I am talking about check out our blog You Are More Than Just a Teacher: How to Use the Three Circle Model Outside of the Classroom.
My personal 3 circle model includes adventures, growth and relationships. So, before I start worrying about who is going to what camp, what work events I need to go to, or if I really want to make it to that family vacation, I carve out time to ensure I pour into myself.
When I have activities in my three circle model, I show up better as a wife, mother, friend and teacher. And I am willing to bet when you do activities that align with your core values you do too.
Here is what I am planning this summer:
Adventure: (Half) Cross-country road-trip with lots of stops with family and friends!
Relationships: Going to see an off-Broadway play with a friend, hosting a crafty night with friends, having day dates with my kids and learning to bake sourdough with my sister
Growth: I am participating in a Summer Half-Marathon program with a local running community. My race will be in September!
These are BIG audacious things that I had penciled into my 2026 Yearly BINGO board but I also know that little sprinkles of joy throughout the weeks will help me enjoy summer as well. So, I plan to sprinkle little joyful (free/low cost) things throughout the summer like getting my favorite McDonald’s crispy coke zero, going thrifting, and reading outside.
What are some of the BIG and little things you can plan for yourself this summer?
SCHOOL
This is the category that will be different based on your contract. Some of you might work 45 days in the summer and some will have no contracted days.
Regardless, you will want to or need to do some school work in the summer. Maybe it is just cleaning the classroom, doing a few CDE practices, or a full fledged summer calendar that’s booked and busy.
The thing I want to stress is to only do what is necessary and will fill your cup.
This summer I have no contracted time. But, I do have the ability to take some time for some paid professional development after Germinate.
Once I reviewed my schedule and my family schedule I was able to book some classes where I get to learn something I WANT for the new year.
Summer school time doesn’t have to just be about checking boxes, it can be about leaning into learning new tools to help the next school year. If you aren’t sure what you need, check out our Germinate Tracks Quiz to help you figure out what sessions to prioritize at Germinate.
When you commit to something this summer, actually commit to it.
Put your required things on the calendar and carve out time for the things you want to do.
Treat it as a meeting/event and actually put it in your Google Calendar or paper calendar.
That means if you want to get coffee with a friend, block out those two hours. Or if your classroom needs your undivided attention, block another two hour block.
This will remind you that it is IMPORTANT to you!
YOU
This “you” category could include spouses, children, family members, roommates, friends etc. This is when you need to plan something FOR them, not WITH them. That is the next category.
For me it is childcare. Once I know my work and personal schedule, then I can figure out where I need support for family things like childcare or where I want to do bonding events like vacations.
Personally, we are in the season of camps not daycare and my kiddos basically like all the opposite things. I feel like a Jedi master trying to curate their summer schedule. But, good news is I have already scheduled my summer so I can fit their plans around mine.
I live by my family shared calendar and make sure that everything is accurately depicted so everyone knows exactly where we need to be and when.
And since I already know what I want to do for myself and what I need to do for my contract, I can easily see where I need to find support for the other people in my life.
If you are out of the daycare phase and have school aged kids I would HIGHLY advise you look at your local city/town/county recreation summer camps. My kids have gone to camps like skateboarding and flag football to chess camp and cooking camp. And usually for a MUCH cheaper rate than privatized camps.
I also am a huge supporter of high school camps. As an ag teacher, we ran Vet Camps and that paid our FFA chapter’s bills throughout the year. I loved those weeks in the summer and it feels good to give back to the high schools in my area now!
SPACE
Once you complete the me, school, and you categories you might realize that “gosh, this summer is FULL.” And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing especially if you are leaning into things that light your fire.
But, I also am a firm believer in a good dormancy day. Some people call it “rotting” but that assumes that the end result of a peaceful, no plan day is a bad result.
I vehemently disagree. When you take a step back and provide space in your calendar you are giving yourself time to recover and recharge for the next activities.
Just like trees have a dormancy period. They know they need to lay low and save energy in the winter so they can bloom in the spring.
So, now that all your required activities are on the calendar make sure to pencil in some dormancy days to conserve energy and prevent summer burnout!
Being able to have some summer time off with my family is something that I truly missed when I was out of the classroom. Even my husband is sad he is missing out on the simple low energy activities we have planning for our days off.
I hope with these suggestions in mind that you curate a summer that fills you up and serves you and yours well!
While we’re on the topic of teacher burnout, let it be known that here at G&G, it’s our goal to help you avoid that allll year long, not just in the summer time.
Here’s some more good reads and resources around this topic:
