“It must be nice to have summers off!”

If you’re a teacher, you’ve heard this line before, haven’t you? This naive exclamation typically comes from someone who does not understand the professional responsibilities of teachers and what most teachers really do over the summer. We search out professional learning to make us better at the craft of teaching.

Taking classes over the summer not only allows teachers to focus on their profession, it also creates a space for teachers to reflect, process and apply. Taking a photography course in June, for example, can lead to thinking in July and early August about how best to incorporate that learning into students’ lives.

Summer is also a time to recharge, and even a cooking class or a book club that has no focus on school-related tasks can be just the ticket to a new teaching idea or greater enjoyment in the classroom. Inspired teachers are more effective teachers.

Pumped about professional learning this summer? Check out the Teaching and Learning Center’s summer workshops.

(Contributed by Kelly Tumy, curriculum director for English, language arts and social studies, HCDE’s Teaching and Learning Center)