cc licensed flickr photo shared by mrsdkrebs

I’ve picked up a new crafting hobby for the summer. I have spent a lot of time scouring flea markets and garage sales for just the right materials. As I walk the endless aisles I can’t help but wonder about the stories behind each treasure. Was the item a gift? Did it have any sentimental value? Did it make a person smile or was it a reminder of something unpleasant? Why is someone wanting to rid the item from their possession?

For some reason each item found itself of the shelves of a flea market or tagged for a garage sale. Each item is waiting to be treasured by new owner and a develop a new story. Each item wants to recycled, recreated and given a chance to have a fresh start. Moving forward on a new path.

The re-creation process is a apart of our educational journey. As we end one school year, we await for a fresh start to come again. Summer vacation provides us time to relax and reflect on the past while making plans for a new beginning.

Come fall, we will be taken from the shelf, dusted off and put with a new set of people – even if we head back to the same classroom or school we’ve been in for years. We are ready to write a new story or chapter in our lives. What will that story be? What can you do now to create your new story?

Read: Not only does reading provide a sense of enjoyment and/or new learning, it give us a chance to analyze what good readers do. Try monitoring your reading. What do you do when you encounter confusion? Learn from your own reading habits to better assist your students.

Reflect: Many summer time activities provide for time to reflect on the past year. Gardening or mowing the yard can be perfect times to ponder past events in order to plan for new happenings. Here is a great set of reflection questions to get you started. (20 Teacher End of the Year Reflection Questions)

Renew: Summer provides us the opportunity to seek out new learning in order to renew and refresh classroom practices. I highly encourage you to check out Twitter! You will find a very passionate group of educators readily sharing ideas to guide you in a renewal process. Here is a set of resources that provides information on why Twitter is beneficial to educators.

Recreate: As we reflect on our past year, we may find practices or procedures that need to be recreated. Summer can be a time to reorganize and be ready for the coming of a new year. Have you checked out Pinterest? So many teachers are pinning creative ideas to spark new plans for the coming year! Feel free to check out my Pinterest Boards.

RELAX: Most importantly, summer is a time for relaxation. Find a new hobby. Connect with friends and family. Travel on a private jet like the ones from Jettly. Go to a place that you’ve never been before. Do what you’ve always wanted to do! Summer time is a beautiful gift!

My new crafting hobby will fill my days along with other activities that involve reading, reflecting, renewing, recreating and relaxing! New stories are bound to develop.

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Interested in my newest crafting craze? I have many supplies for unique, one-of-a-kind bird feeders. Just let me know if you are interested in purchasing one!