Quick Tip: Using Summer Planning for Fall Semester 

The summer, while great for decompressing from the spring semester, is also an amazing opportunity to begin planning for the fall semester! Our responsibilities during peak times can often feel overwhelming, so what better way to relieve pressure from ourselves than to use the summer to complete some of the items on our to-do lists? Research speaks to the benefits of planning making for more effective teaching, as you are assured to have lesson plans that prioritize time management for student thinking, as well as the opportunity to experiment with and implement new ideas (Kyriacou 2018).

This summer, I am using my spare time for course activity preparation for my two public speaking courses next semester.

Here are some tips for using your summer to reduce anxieties during the semester!

• Apply to conferences. There are multiple conferences with calls for proposals out in the summer, which are then held in the fall. Applying to these conferences now frees up that time during the semester and ensures that you will have some conferences to attend later in the year.

  If you are interested in conferences on teaching and learning, consider attending the ISSOTL conference being held in French Lick, IN this fall! This conference calls for scholarship surrounding teaching and learning across the disciplines, and is open to faculty, staff, and students.

• Prepare activities and materials for courses you’ll be teaching. In preparing even a couple of activities, you will free up quite a bit of time at the beginning of the semester.

  Each summer, I plan out at least the first two weeks of my courses (complete with materials, lesson plans, and schedule) so I can focus more time on the courses I’m taking myself. I recommend planning out the more complex activities for your courses now, so that you have ample time to create and edit handouts, slides, and instructions for seamless application in the classroom.

• Create teaching portfolio materials. Using your off-time to create teaching statements, diversity statements, syllabi for future courses, and teaching portfolios or academic applications is a great way to utilize your summer! WTS and the CITL are always here to consult with you about these materials. You can make a consultation appointment through our website

Additionally, in completing these materials, you will be one step closer to finishing the Practitioner level of GTAP (Graduate Teaching Apprenticeship Program), a program through IU CITL that helps teachers grow their pedagogical scholarship.

References:

Kyriacou, Chris. “Why Is Planning So Important for Effective Teaching?” Oxford Education Blog, 12 July 2019.