Preparation for Fall Classes

As many of you know I am an avid reader and consumer of print and digital information pertaining to teaching and learning and this beloved industry of ours.  I am always trying to keep up with news and information that effects the industry and discover new ways of teaching or simply improve those methods I am using now or have in the past.  But this blog post has to do with one of the greatest preparation methods I use over the summer to prepare for fall classes and that is do to NOTHING WHATSOEVER related to teaching and learning.  I even left behind a fascinating book on college teaching I shared at the ACF National Convention during my workshop on fun, engaging and innovative assessment methods.  I will resume reading the book and share in an upcoming blog post.

I just returned from a week of vacation to western NY to visit family and friends and eat those foods that I loved growing up as a child and young adult. If you are from that area you can relate to a "white hot", Grandma Brown's beans, and sweet corn which I enjoyed on several occasions.  You can also relate to the Friday night Haddock fish fry complete with crinkle cut fries, cole slaw, and a dinner roll.  All of which are found among the beautiful lakes, rivers and streams that are nestled among rolling hills that can be found in the Finger Lakes Region where I was born, just outside of Rochester, NY.  As I consumed such delicacies I did not give a single thought to what I do for a living.  I even did that which is the hardest to do when dining out -- NOT critique the quality of the food and service I was subjected to along the way unless it was horrid, which it never was.  I just simply enjoyed the blessing of being alive and healthy to go and do as I pleased with my family.

I find that these breaks rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit and allow me to take a fresh look at my teaching when I sit down before the computer, as I am doing now to lazily prepare for the fall.  I feel alive again and ready to get down to business in a few weeks.  I hope you have been able to do the same.

So the message for today's blog post is that sometimes the greatest thing one can do to prepare for fall classes and be a better teacher is to do absolutely nothing at various points during the summer if one has the luxury to do so as I just did with my family.  Give yourself permission to do nothing, too.  You will find great rewards in the pursuit of not doing and simply being!