The Take Care of You Challenge

Dear Teacher,

I am happy to present Substitute Teacher Laura. She has an awesome blog and her post here is amazing…so I will let her just speak for herself! Enjoy! And check out Teacher Laura’s blog!

Dear Teacher,

IT”S SUMMERTIME. Summer is a time for rejuvenation and I am ready to be rejuvenated. I have just experienced one of the most difficult years in my 20 year teaching career and I am so thankful it is over. I am ready to put 2012-2013 school year behind me and look ahead to summer and I bet you are too.

It is summer and it is time to take care of YOU. Teachers are so busy during the school year that we put off everything we need to do until the summer, like dentist and doctor appointments, cleaning and de-cluttering, reading good books, eating right and exercising and so much more. I am here to give you a summer to do list that includes relaxing and reading.

1. Get a Massage. The first thing you should do when you finish the school year is get a massage. A massage is perfect way to begin to de-stress and relieve your muscles of tension.

2. READ. Stop at the library or bookstore and make your reading list. This is important. There are so many good books out there that you need to make sure to read the books that matter to you. Be a Booksnob like me and read what YOU want, not what others tell you to read. Summer is a time to be a little selfish since you spent the whole school year give yourself and your time to others.

I, myself am an avid reader and a book blogger for the last three years so summer reading is super important to me. Here are some of the books on my To Be Read List this summer.

A. The Execution of Noa P. Singleton by Elizabeth L. Silver. This book will be released on June 11th and is already the talk of book bloggers. Noa P. Singleton is a 20 year old on death row in Pennsylvania. This is a thriller that promises to keep you turning the pages. I’m so excited to read this.

B. Ask the Passengers by A. S. King. Young Adult fiction. I have been wanting to read a book by A.S. King for a long time. This book is on my camp readalot book list. It is about a teen named Astrid who spends hours lying on the backyard picnic table watching airplanes fly overhead. She doesn’t know the passengers inside, but they’re the only people who won’t judge her when she asks them her most personal questions

C. Reclaiming Youth at Risk. Our Hope for the Future. I teach in a very diverse inner city high school. This year our staff has joined together to form book groups to read a book that will inform our teaching practice. I chose to read this book. I am very excited to read it. I have met one of the authors, Dr. Martin Brokenleg and really respect his work.

D. A Choice of Weapons by Gordon Parks. Autobiography. This is the Minneapolis One Read book this fall and all of my high school seniors will be reading this as part of one my classes. Gordon Parks was the first African American to write, direct and score a Hollywood Film.

E. Steal Like an Artist. 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon. I love to be creative. In fact I am creative but sometimes, I forget how to include creativity in my daily life. This book is awesome, I have already started reading it and it has started to work its magic on me. Watch out world. My creativity is flowing.

3. Take Naps. Seriously your deserve it. Catch up on your sleep. This is so important to de-stress and rejuvenate.

4. Go to the Beach. Enjoy the sun, sand and water. Soak up the vitamin D. Play a little. Bring a book to read. I spend my summer birthday at the beach every year and I can hardly wait to go. The sun has been missing from Minnesota almost all Spring, so when the sun does shine, I will be going to the beach and so should you.

5. Travel. Visit some place new. See the sites in your hometown or plan a trip out of town. It doesn’t matter where you go, or what you do as long as you are having fun and experiencing life. I love to visit places close to the Twin Cities and learn about my hometown. Ride your bike or take a hike. Go see that waterfall or visit one of your State Parks.

7. Try something new: Learn something new. Take up ball room dancing. Try Geocaching. Go camping. Take a class at ITunes U. Watch a few Ted talks, start a new TV series and watch all of it. The possibilities are endless.

8. Exercise. Believe it or not this helps get rid of stress and helps give you energy. I try to exercise during the school year but usually other things are more important and exercising gets pushed to the back burner. Now is the time to enjoy the weather and free time by exercising. So get out there and take walks with your dog, run, ride your bike, play your Wii or Xbox Kinect and get your body moving to the music.