What I’m Not Doing This Summer as a Teacher (And Why You Shouldn’t Either)

What I’m Not Doing This Summer as a Teacher (And Why You Shouldn’t Either)

 Let me get this out of the way from the start: I’m not spending my vacation typing up fancy schemes of work, laminating anything, or stressing over how many children I getting next term. Not this year. Not again.

I used to feel like I had to spend July “getting ahead”, planning schemes of work, wondering how to rearrange my classroom yet again, or going down rabbit holes searching for the “perfect” websites and tools to use with my new students. And for what? So it could all get copied, pasted, and passed around like complimentary Carnival tickets—because everybody want your hard work but not the workload. 

Not me again.

By the time July reach, most teachers dragging. Not just tired—done. The kind of tired that sleep cannot fix. The kind of tired that builds up after a full year of juggling busy classrooms, shifting expectations, last-minute directives, and still somehow trying to give your students your best. You end the term not with a sigh of relief, but with a deep, quiet exhaustion that sits in your bones.

This vacation? I reclaiming my time, my peace, and my sanity.

So here’s what I’m not doing this vacation:

 

 I’m not writing a meticulous scheme of work.

Because let’s be real, we all know how this ends. You spend hours aligning topics, cross-referencing standards, and formatting it just so… only for someone to take it, erase your name, and share it in a WhatsApp group. Then, some time later, you get your own scheme sent back to you. Thanks, but no thanks.

 I’m not rushing to plan every single topic for Term 1.

Experience has taught me that early detailed planning often needs to be redone. School calendars shift, resources get delayed, and new directives can change priorities overnight. I’d rather build a flexible framework now and adapt as needed than waste energy perfecting plans that may not survive the first week.

 I’m not prepping charts and resources for a classroom I haven’t even been assigned yet.

I once saw a teacher set up everything beautifully only to be moved to a different classroom days into the term. I’ll wait and create things with my students, when I know where I actually am. No point guessing what space you have to work with.

 I’m not forcing myself to show up with “new year, new me” energy every term.

I’m bringing the experience, growth, and lessons I've earned, not faking a whole new persona to match someone else’s highlight reel. Steady, authentic energy beats burnout every time. 

 I’m not checking the staff WhatsApp chat every morning.

Because let’s be honest — most times it’s not even urgent. It starts with twenty-five "Good morning all", followed by a random video or a forwarded message about something. Listen. My heart jumps the minute my phone lights up and I see it's the school chat—I get anxious before I even unlock it. Honestly, I can do without that kind of stress. I’ll check it when I'm good and ready. If it’s really urgent, I should be getting a call or an email—not a message buried under a hundred greetings.

I’m not spending my money on classroom resources out of pocket.

Markers, dusters, even manila folders— every year I'm buying basic supplies like I'm running a stationery store. This vacation? I'm locking my wallet. I'm not going to keep investing in materials for a system that still cyah guarantee the fundamentals.

 

What I’m Not Doing This Summer as a Teacher (And Why You Shouldn’t Either)

So what am I doing instead?

  • Sleeping past 6 a.m.
  • Drinking my coffee while it’s hot
  • Spending time with my family (and not correcting anything while doing so)
  • Walking by the sea without school in my ears
  • Resting my brain so I’m not starting September already drained
  • Letting myself be a human, not just a teacher 
  • Sitting in silence and not explaining why
  • Watching a show from beginning to end without pausing to plan
  • Saying “no” without guilt
  • Laughing loud, staying soft, and protecting my peace

 

What I’m Not Doing This Summer as a Teacher (And Why You Shouldn’t Either)


This is not laziness. This is survival. This is boundaries. This is self-respect.

And if you are a teacher reading this, I hope you know: you don’t owe your vacation to anyone. You don’t have to prove your worth by over-preparing for a system that often does not return the same energy.

Take your rest. You’ve earned it.

 

 

 

 

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