Where did the time go to start my curriculum updating? A week before teacher in-service begins, I look back on the two and half months of freedom I had this summer. Where did it go? What did I do? I think that I feel victim again to the time suck of curriculum updates. I love changing my curriculum and utilizing new ideas and I become eager to tackle all of those projects during that expansive time I have from June-August. However, while I did go on a vacation or two, I don’t think I gave myself enough time to relax. I spent most days at some point in the day in front of my school computer at home working on at least one of my classes. Creating semester plans, new resources, updated assignments, improved instructional days, etc. took up the better part of a morning almost every day this summer.

Why can’t I give myself a better break? Do I really need to commit so much time each summer? Now, I am by no means saying that I was working a full time job but I do think that very few days were spent totally away from my curriculum. While I do not think that I will ever completely move to not looking at my curriculum over the summer, I do think that I need to take better care to enjoy the time off. Throughout the school year, I am already sitting at my dining room table each night working on the lesson plans, grading the assignments, and creating resources. The summer should be a time to unwind and relax.

The question becomes: How can I avoid the time suck of curriculum updates?

1. Take a few weeks off in June to just enjoy the summer. This will be my time to read as many novels as I like and they do not have to be literary classics that I could use in my curriculum. I can also work on projects at home that I always add to my summer list of things to do.
2. Plan at least one vacation for July or August so that I have something to look forward to in the latter part of summer. This vacation will also force me to take at least a few days off without curriculum.
3. Create a game plan for each week of what I want to accomplish and set the goals more realistic in looking at only what is most important instead of trying to update every class for ever curriculum.
4. Stick to the game plan and make sure that only a portion of the day is used and give myself off on Fridays because this is my summer.
5. Decide two weeks before in-service to buckle down and work all day getting ready for the next school year.

While this summer I fell into the time suck, next summer I am going to create a better plan!