While the exercise books may be firmly shut, and the children participate in sports days, end-of-year assemblies, or performances, it would be unfair to say that the learning stops here.
Our amazing brains develop continuously, forming new neural pathways when faced with challenges. And a little like rewiring, our brains adapt as we acquire information and learn from experiences.
So whether it’s learning lines for performance, visiting a museum or taking part in sports days, you can be assured that the young people in your class continue to “rewire” throughout the summer term. And the best part? When people have fun, they become better learners – food for thought for the new term starting in September, perhaps?
Time for your own end-of-year ap-PRAISE-al!
Now we’ve firmly established that the children you teach have all demonstrated growth in their mental agility, what about you, the teacher? You might measure your own growth in a promotion or perhaps by landing that SLT role or a job in a new school, but if you’re ending the year feeling a little less ‘tall’ than you did before, this one’s for you.
You may have started the year with everything neatly labelled, a pot of sharp pencils and a stash of prized glue sticks - complete with lids - in your drawers. Maybe you even joined a gym or a running club with the promise to go every morning before school. You had grand ideas of making this year “the best yet”, only to find yourself snoozing that alarm and counting down the days to half term when you were just two weeks in.
As you reflect on the past academic year, it can be easy to berate yourself for the things you didn’t do, but why not FLIP it instead? If your past academic year had a professional highlights reel, what would go in it? It's time to take your almost-dry whiteboard pen and write yourself one more LO: To celebrate your wins.
Here are a few things to get you started:
- The team - I’m sure you can all think of one person or persons who make your job a little easier. The one you turn to for funny anecdotes or emotional support. But remember, the feeling is likely to be mutual! Your colleagues are just as likely to be thankful to you as you are to them.
- Students - suffice it to say, you’re not going to be every student’s favourite teacher; you’re not meant to be! But whether they liked it or not, you’ve taught these young people something new, and, in turn, you’ve created those new neurological pathways in their brains without the need for surgery; now that’s impressive!
- New experiences - did you start at a new school? Did you come to the rescue as a stand-in for the annual school trip? (I once stepped into a last-minute trip to Lord’s Cricket Ground with a group of year 4s, much to the derision of my cricket-fanatic partner!) Learning isn’t just for students, so what new experiences did you have?
Three is always my magic number, but I hope once you start, you’ll be able to find more and more moments to add to your list. To give yourself an extra hit of dopamine, place a big tick next to each one. A teacher friend of mine once told me that whenever she made herself a to-do list, she also included the things she’d already done just to tick them off! It acted as a great reminder of her little wins and motivated her to keep going.
The power of yet
If you feel this year hasn’t been your best and you’re struggling to think of any positive moments from the past academic year, don’t panic! American Psychologist Carol Dweck warns against being “gripped in the tyranny of now,” and instead, she suggests “luxuriating in the power of yet.”
So, if you’ve not achieved all the goals you set for yourself or landed the promotion you so desperately wanted this year, or the year was worse than you possibly imagined, and you’re close to giving up, you’re not alone! But once the dust has settled, it’s time to think how you reframe “failure”.
Dweck also said, “In the growth mindset, failure can be a painful experience. But it doesn’t define you. It’s a problem to be faced, dealt with, and learned from.” And that “failure is an opportunity, not a condemnation.” With that in mind, perhaps it’s time to see your biggest achievement this year as resilience against adversity which I would consider one of the most vital attributes towards future successes.
So, enjoy this final part of the academic year, and remember that as the children participate in all of the final fun days, they are still learning something—as are you.
If you would like some support with growth mindset in your school, get in touch with Doug – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – and he’ll talk to you about how we can help.
Alison Carter has worked with young people since graduating from drama school twelve years ago. Her performing arts background means she’s no stranger to acting like a clown to get the giggles going! She’s no stranger to the classroom environment and has worked with students, parents and teachers in many primary schools.
