When I was teaching, summer held two distinct categories for me: leisure and learning. It was a time to unwind, allowing my mind and body to relax and rejuvenate. Simultaneously, it provided an opportunity to engage in learning that I had been unable to pursue during the busy school year, igniting my neurotransmitters and fostering new knowledge acquisition. Recently, I’ve been thinking about the topic of summer activities for educators and summer learning.
As a TCEA staffer, I would say our best online resource is the TechNotes blog. Talk about the crème de la crème! You name it, and I bet TCEA has written about it. TCEA has a blog post for every audience, resource, platform, and topic. And if we haven’t written about it, drop us an email, and we’ll get to it. That said, I’ve hand-selected a few top TechNotes articles, and sprinkled in some other things, to make a Summer PD Choice Board with summer learning activities for educators. (Don’t worry. It includes a little leisure mixed in with the learning, too!)
What Is a Choice Board?
A choice board is a graphic organizer that allows students to choose how they will learn a concept. Usually, a choice board includes these aspects:
- 9-square grid
- Each square has an activity
- Each activity might relate to one of the multiple intelligences
- The level of difficulty can vary or stay consistent throughout the board
If you need more information on choice boards, what do you know! TechNotes has an article or two on this topic. Not surprised, are you?
TechNotes Articles on Choice Boards:
- How to Create a Choice Board
- Creating a Choice Board for Your Classroom
- A Collection of Choice Board Examples and Templates
- Templates and Ideas for Making Differentiated Choice Boards
- Choice Boards for Active Learning in Math
If you are interested in digging even deeper into choice boards, check out the TCEA online course for educators.
The Summer Choice Board
I offer you the TCEA Summer PD Choice Board with summer activities for educators’ learning and leisure. Let’s take a look at exactly what this choice board offers you.
Classroom Posters. These classroom posters can be used for special months of celebration or hung all year long. Take a look — they’re all free!
ChatGPT Promps. Take a look at ChatGPT prompts for educators! Learn how to craft your best prompt to maximize your results and get what you’re looking for.
Info on Copyright. Let’s break down the basics of copyright, explore Creative Commons licenses, learn about fair use, and then…teach it to our students!
Cybersecurity Tips. My colleague, Miguel Guhlin gives five tips to better protect yourself online and offers easy strategies to help you do this.
TCEA Member Benefits. You are a TCEA member (or should be) – this gives you a rundown of the benefits you will enjoy as a TCEA member.
Differentiation with ChatGPT. Need an adapted or translated text? Use ChatGPT to generate differentiated texts and better accommodate varied reading and language levels!
Info on TCEA 2024. Want the best of tacos, technology, and teachers in Texas? We are back in Austin in 2024, and it’s never too early to preview the TCEA 2024 Convention & Exposition.
Back-to-School Resources. It’s the only back-to-school roundup you may ever need, presenting a treasure trove of ready-made activities, templates, tips, and more.
Recommended Bing-Watching. Check out the Binge-Watching Board with show recommendations from the TCEA staff.
I hope you take advantage of this choice board with summer activities for educators to fuel your curiosity, expand your horizons, and recharge your teaching spirit. Embrace the joy of learning and the pleasure of unwinding with your favorite shows, knowing that you’ve earned this well-rounded summer experience. Happy learning and happy binge-watching!
