“Summer” race to the finish

Advice for teacher in the final term of the year.

As the school year nears its end, we all find ourselves juggling a multitude of tasks while striving to maintain student engagement and create a smooth transition into the summer break. The summer term is a tough one as not only are we wrapping up the projects and meeting termly deadlines, but we’re also trying to wrap up the year’s targets and pave the path for next year. These last few weeks present an opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments and challenges of the academic year and set the stage for a positive academic finale. 

Reflect on the Journey:
Take a moment to review the academic year and reflect on the growth and achievements of both you and your pupils. Celebrate the successes, identify areas for improvement, and cherish the memories created together. There are many challenges that push us and often make us question “Was it as hard as this last year?” But take the time to recognise the strength and skills learned and obtained by this and explore what you can either apply or do differently next time.

Set Clear Goals:
This brings me nicely onto this – setting goals. Having goals help give meaning to what we do, whether that be to better yourself, find a new balance or a new challenge. They are often underpinned by our core values so make sure you take some time to review these – it can be a great mental reset when gaining perspective for the year ahead. Establish specific learning objectives or goals (for you and your pupils) for the remaining weeks. Prioritise essential content or skills that need reinforcement and communicate these goals to your pupils and line manager. Clear expectations provide direction and focus.

Engage in Meaningful Activities:
Plan engaging activities that review important concepts while keeping students motivated. This could be reviewing the class code of conduct, reviewing the importance of positive culture and togetherness; or something larger like reviewing the learning journey and what they have obtained holistically I.e. their own personal development; achieving the PSHE strands; retrieving key learning facts and materials from differing subjects. This could be done through project-based learning, group activities, or hands-on experiences that connect learning to real-world scenarios. These activities make learning meaningful and memorable.

Celebrate Accomplishments:
Take the time to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of your students. Recognise academic achievements, personal growth, or positive contributions to the classroom community. Encourage a sense of pride and accomplishment, perhaps working towards a presentation, play or a simple letter to their parents that encourage pupils to articulate their journey. For you, create a culture where you and colleagues are sharing success and how you overcame some of the challenges this year. Some schools have staff awards that are nominated from staff members which can be truly heartfelt and thankful – you’d be surprised at what your colleagues have noticed and are grateful for.

Foster Reflection:
Provide opportunities for students to reflect on their learning journey and set goals for the future. Reflective activities promote self-awareness and ownership of learning. Help students recognise their progress and inspire them to strive for continuous growth. This could be through a number of retrieval activities, ranging from academic cues (declarative knowledge) as well as social and personal development cues. Class discussions can be really powerful with this and if done well, can foster a culture of support and praise from other pupils to each other.

Complete Assessments:
Reports are either completed or underway. Ensure you have administered and analysed the latest assessments. Be clear with their next steps and provisions needed so that the children get a smooth transition that minimises lost opportunities for learning. But also think outside the academic success and take time to explore the strengths of every child this year. Spend these next few weeks learning where they are at with their hobbies, clubs and passions as for some pupils, they may have developed or changed course since your last check-in. Showing the children that you haven’t checked out and are still interested just further proves to them that you do truly care about them beyond their time in your class.

Prepare for Transitions:
Support students who will be transitioning to the next year group or a different school. Facilitate discussions, share information, and create activities that help students feel prepared and comfortable with the upcoming change. Ease their anxieties and instil confidence drawing upon their reflections from this year. Whatever your format, do your best to communicate with parents and teachers with the key messages, whether that be via documents or facilitating pre-visits. Working with teachers to spend some time in your classroom getting to know the children can be very powerful as they can see how your set up works to support each child.

Clean and Organise:
Take the time to clean and organise your classroom, tidying up materials and supplies that won’t be needed until the next school year. Involving pupils in this process can teach responsibility and teamwork while ensuring a fresh start for the next academic year. It helps you out massively by tackling one small thing a day rather than waiting for the mad rush on the last day. Emptying school trays, clearing our lockers, and noting what loose work and where the completed books are ready to be sent home can make it easier on the last day.

Communicate with Parents:
Maintain open communication with parents during the final weeks. They are also feeling the year coming to an end and would appreciate any opportunity that helps showcase what their child has achieved thus far. Sports days are a key event that parents love to attend, but plenty of notice is required so try to keep them informed about end-of-year events, important dates or deadlines, and any pertinent information they need to know. Express gratitude for their support throughout the year and do your best where reasonably practicable to give them the personal touch of how well their child has done: this could be via the reports, face-to-face or a small note.

Prioritise Self-Care:
Amidst the busyness of the final weeks, remember to prioritise your own well-being. Make time for relaxation, reflection, and rejuvenation to recharge before the summer break. Taking care of yourself ensures you can give your best to your pupils, current and to-come.

Conclusion:
As the school year draws to a close, teachers play a pivotal role in creating a meaningful wrap-up for their pupils and parents. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but by reflecting on the journey, setting clear goals, engaging in purposeful activities, and fostering celebrations and transitions, teachers can ensure a successful conclusion to the academic year. With effective communication and self-care, teachers can also find balance and recharge for the well-deserved summer break. Embrace these last few weeks as an opportunity to leave a lasting impression and set the stage for a fresh start in the next academic year.