School Year End – Tips for Teachers
- Keep your students focused on their school work as these last few weeks help serve as a summary time for everything learned throughout the year. This is the time for them to put all the pieces together for true, long-term comprehension.
- Add a spark of color to your classroom by using MoodClue liquid chalk markers. The bright colors will make your classroom seem fresh and new like at the start of the school year.
- Encourage your students and their parents to keep up with learning over the summer by reading, visiting museums and learning new skills. Send home a list of ideas of things for them to do over the summer. Their teacher next year will thank you!
- Read this blog post for other year-end ideas: https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/curriculum-teaching-strategies/teachers-five-tips-for-closing-the-school-year-right/
- As the weather gets nicer, consider holding some class time outside and use this time to explore science, conservation physics, biology and nature lessons because getting fresh air helps stimulate the mind. The world is bigger and so much more than just a textbook! Talk about the energy that the sun and the wind create. Use kid’s natural curiosity to conduct experiments – How does a kite fly? Why does an apple drop straight down vs a leaf that floats? Why is the sun hotter in the summer in North America vs. South America? Why do you get sunburned? How does the path of a ball change depending on how your throw it? Why are leaves green? How does a bulb know which way to grow? There are so many lessons to be learned outside and often real-life lessons are the best lessons. You can have your kids use MoodClue liquid chalk markers to draw on non-porous surfaces outside as the markers are both wet and dry erase.
Enjoy your last few weeks with your students! Have a great summer!
School Year End – Tips for Parents
- Whether you are a working parent or a stay-at-home parent, the end of the school year brings a lot of changes. Gone are the routines of getting up and going to school; instead, your life and your child’s life will be less structured. Now is a great time to start thinking about summer plans if you haven’t already. Now is the time to start thinking about summertime learning opportunities for your kids. Summer is a great time for them to explore new skills in a stress-free environment because there are no grades. It is also a great time for them to do a ‘deep-dive’ into things that already interest them.
- Read this blog for other great summer ideas: https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev073.shtml
- Think through fun end-of-year ideas for teacher gifts and class parties. Tie the class party into a subject that was taught this year. If the class studied the Civil War then have a party with that theme because that reinforces the lessons learned. If the class did a lot of interesting science experiments then have the kids dress up as a famous scientist for the party. Make the party a learning experience as well as fun. A great gift for teachers is several packs of MoodClue markers that they can use this year and next. The teachers will be happy to have such a useful and fun gift.
- Talk to your child about safety issues. No matter how old they are, dangers lurk. The more you have discussed with them, the more prepared they will be to deal with dangerous or uncomfortable situations. The world has changed and continues to change and the dangers they face change from school time to summertime.
- Plan lots of family time. This family time doesn’t have to be expensive. Simple outings to a park are what kids will remember. Time spent with your kids is the most important gift you can give them.
Enjoy your summer! Enjoy your time with your kids. Stay safe and happy!