You hear the quote all the time from athletes around the
world, “Champions are made in the offseason.” For athletes, the offseason (or preseason) is when they get stronger,
smarter, and better. During the season
itself, there usually isn’t enough time to put the required amount of work into
the areas mentioned above. They are simply too busy competing in games and
matches. While athletes practice and
compete during their respective seasons, the offseason has always been known
as the time where the expectations are to work and learn to prepare for the
upcoming season.
If you think about it, the offseason for educators is the
same as athletes. While we may call it
summer break and use a portion of the summer to relax and recharge, we also
have an obligation to use it as a time to get stronger, smarter and better in
our field. With the help of social
media, connected educators continue to grow during the school year. But the summer is definitely a time when we
don’t have so many things going on and can really focus on growing and getting
better.
Follow the five tips below to have a strong offseason and
help you improve as an educator:
We are all well aware of the research that states you have a better chance of accomplishing a goal when it is written down. Be creative and plan a method of attack for
your offseason. Write it down. What do you want to
accomplish? What do you want to learn
more about? Where do you want to get
better? Create a plan based on goals
and efficiency. Figure out what you need
to do to get better and expand your learning.
If you want to read a certain number of books, then write it down which books you want to read and read them. If you want to attend certain conferences,
then plan for it.
2. Focus on the “3 R’s”
These aren’t your traditional 3 R’s. I’m talking about read, read and read. Plan to read as many books as you want. Learn how to use Flipboard and create
magazines you can read each day to learn more about your passion. Share what you are reading with others. Use social media to share your thoughts about
your readings. Or share posts and
articles you read via email with your colleagues. When you read, visualize how you can use what
you are reading to help your classroom and/or building. Dedicate a portion of each day during your
offseason to reading. Last year I read The 5 Choices: The Path to Extraordinary Productivity by Kory Kogon to help improve my productivity during each day. This summer I have already read The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable by Seth Godin, and Leadership and the Art of Struggle by Steven Snyder.
3. Go to Conferences and EdCamps
Try to go to every conference and edcamp
that you can. The professional
networking and opportunities to get better are limitless. Whether the conferences are national or
local, it doesn’t make a difference. They are opportunities to grow.
My favorite form of professional development
is participating in a couple of edcamps during the summer. For example, this year I plan on
participating in the international #EdCampLdr day on June 30th where
there will be edcamps around the world focusing on leadership (Ohio’s#EdCampLdrOH will be at Clark Hall in Gahanna, OH once again!). Take advantage of the opportunity to attend
edcamps to learn from others in a nontraditional academic setting that will
enable you to personalize your own professional learning.
4. Try Something New
At times, during the school year, we tend
to backoff from trying new things because there is always a learning curve that
takes time. Find a new site to
explore. Work with some different apps
to see if they can help you grow. Look
into different social media accounts to see if they can help your
professionally (Hint: Facebook isn’t what it used to be. Many people are now using it to grow
professionally). Try using Voxer to
connect with others around the world to see what they are doing to grow this
offseason.
5. Make Goals for the Upcoming School Year
Use the offseason to create goals for your
classroom and/or building. If you
already have goals for next year, figure out an action plan for how you will
accomplish your goals. Think of the
different evidence you will collect to accomplish your goals. The offseason is the time to pinpoint which
data you will collect during the year and how you will use it. Don’t forget to focus on what you want to
improve for the upcoming school year and research what you can use to make that
happen.
While I am definitely a beach guy and love
to hit the sand and surf during the summer, I also know my offseason is here. Its time to get better at
what I do. Learn more, grow more, and help
my school and district get better.
Professional growth is always available.
As educators, we have to want to get better. We have to want to be the best we can be for
our students. What better time to do
that than the offseason. Remember, all
men are created equal, some just work harder in the preseason.