As the school year comes to a close, it’s easy to get distracted by all of the opportunities for fun, relaxation and learning summer will soon bring.

The end of the year brings up lots of feelings as you say goodbye to another group. Make this goodbye one of the best ones yet by using these educator-inspired tips to wrap things up in the best way possible.

Encouraging Unique Summer Learning Opportunities

Your students have probably been told countless times to continue learning over the summer and they probably have a decent amount of summer homework to make sure that happens.

But the end of the school year serves as an opportunity to talk up learning opportunities that are actually fun too.

For instance, this summer the federal government is looking for student help to track mosquito behavior in order to better understand how diseases spread- an especially important task this year as the Zika virus spreads.

Opportunities can also be personalized to students based on their likes and strengths. For a student who is a stand-out writer, encourage something like Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s short shorty competition that begins accepting submissions in August.

These kinds of opportunities allow students to spend summer working towards a goal and can benefit them later on in life as they work towards being college-ready. A win-win, and an easy topic for these last few weeks.

Quell Next Year Anxieties by Encouraging Mindfulness

A big recent topic in education as of late is encouraging practices like mindfulness in the classroom. As more and more students are diagnosed with anxiety and similar mental health illnesses, promoting sound mental health has increasingly woven its way into the many duties an educator has.

Studies have shown that mindfulness is a great tactic for not just students, but educators as well. You both will benefit from spending time these last few weeks discussing mindfulness routines, especially for students anxious about what the next school year will bring.

According to the Center for Teaching at Vanderbilt University, “research confirms that [mindfulness] practices can offset the constant distractions of our multitasking, multimedia culture. Thus, intentional teaching methods that integrate the ancient practice of mindfulness innovatively meet the particular needs of today’s students.”

Here are some resources to take a look at before starting such a discussion in your classroom:

• Integrating Mindfulness in the Classroom via Edutopia  
• Social Emotional Lesson Plans: Mindfulness in the Classroom via Teaching Channel 
• Mindfulness Activities and Teaching Resources via Mindful Teachers

Personalize Your Goodbye

We now know the benefits of personalized learning in the classroom, so if you spend your entire school year personalizing instruction, you might as well personalize your goodbye, too!

Make an impact on students by giving each one a personalized goodbye that highlights the improvements they’ve made and accomplishments they’ve done while encouraging them to keep the momentum going.

These resources are perfect for figuring out the best way to personalize your goodbye:

• For early learners: learning crowns as seen here
• End of the Year Letter to Students: Do You Write One?
• End of the Year Templates

Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor