We left in a hurry. We left without a plan. We left without saying our regular goodbyes. We left our school year undone. I think this is a feeling that haunts teachers. This feeling that things are still undone. And yet, teachers will be expected to start anew next school year. Possibly in ways we hadn't dreamed of before. So how do we cut the ties of these feelings that things are still left undone?
Do the undone.
Reboot yourself.
Begin anew
In order to do the undone, we should make a list. Make a list of everything that wasn't finished. Mentally map out from where you left off and what you could have or expected to have done. Think about what you normally do and didn't- write that down. Think about the plans you had for your end of year- write that down.
Now take that list and put a period on it. How can you tie up these loose ends? What can you do to bring closure to each item on your list? The more items you can cross off, the more you will feel that you completed the tasks of last school year.
Secondly, you need a reboot. An opportunity to take your mind off this past school year. Time to clear your mind so that you can focus on the next. I have three steps that I think help us do that:
Plan your classroom setup before you get any further into summer.
- schedule a day or two before pre-planning to setup.
- get commitments from a couple of friends or family members to help you
- leave it behind for the summer
Schedule one week of no connections
- turn off social media
- tell friends/family you are taking off (no calls)
- spend that time alone (you and your household)
- if you can, plan a quick trip or adventure
Do something impulsive.
- do something crazy
- do something unplanned
- this is where memories happen
And lastly, begin anew. Begin again, begin refreshed. This is your chance to do something different. If you ever had a crazy idea that you wanted to try, now is the time. And think about these questions:
What have you learned during this period of disruption?
How can you use this knowledge to improve your life, your work, moving forward?
How do you acknowledge the disruption and pay tribute to that sacrifice in your new beginning?
Let's not leave our feelings and thoughts undone so that we may move into a brand new time of exploration and new beginnings without being weighed down by our past.
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