My flight landed at 7:55pm Tuesday night. As I navigated my way to the Economy Parking Lot I felt a surreal sense of déjà-vu. Hadn’t I just been here? The reality was – I had. My flight departed Monday morning at 6am and returned close to 8pm on Tuesday night. Few trips would be worth this turnaround, but I managed to find one that surpassed my expectations and opened my eyes to a wonderful world of resources.

I attended the 8^thAnnual National Career Clusters Institute in Denver, CO, along with over 700 educators from the secondary and post-secondary level. Despite the diverse background of participants coming from 43 states across the country, all came together for the unifying purpose of “Using Career Pathways to Reach New Heights.”

We heard from Don Henderson, Senior Manager of Creative Expressions for Apple, Inc. as well as Kelly Green, Academic Program Manager of US Innovation and Business Development for Microsoft. Amidst a sea of workshops put on by experts in the field, I came upon a grand realization – there is a whole lot I don’t know. But the great news is, there are a whole lot of folks who are willing to share their knowledge.

As educators we take pride in knowing our subject, but sometimes we may not be the first to raise our hand and ask a question. Humbling as it may be, I realize that if I am truly going to be the most effective educator that I can be, I must continue to learn – and it starts with accepting that I don’t know everything.

With this in mind, I welcome you to summer as an opportunity to not only refresh your mind, but to spark the desire to learn that once brought you to this profession.  Realize that we all have much to give and much to learn as well. Take advantage of resources – they are vast and there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Take a moment to check out some great resources at www.careerclusters.org and www.relevantclassroom.com .

Every day we hear more and more bad news about the job market, which can be discouraging as we work to prepare our students to join the work force. But there’s some great news – seasonal employees are still in high demand and summer jobs are no exception! Kids hear so much theory about what it takes to be successful, that sometimes what they really need is to learn it first-hand. Regardless of the type of position, students learn from filling out a job application, interviewing, and being responsible for showing up on time each day! Take this opportunity to connect your students with summer employment, and you will help them make valuable career connections while developing personal leadership skills.

Online: I found two great websites to help your students navigate the summer employment opportunities available.

Our first stop is SnagAJob.com. Students simply have to type in their zip code and a list of local jobs pops up. You can narrow jobs down by employer or by city. Head back to the home page and students can sign up for job alerts in their area to be emailed to them. This could be a great tool even if your students aren’t looking for a job just yet, to open their eyes to local opportunities.

Summerjobs.com is more specific to what we would typically think of as a “summer job”. Camp counselors, lifeguards, and swim instructors can find employment here! You have the option to sign up and become a member of the site, but you can search without registering by simply typing in a key word. When your options come up, you can sort by title, location, employer, and date posted. I like this site because it also gives a brief description of the industry related to the job, which could easily be used to enrich your curriculum!

Push your students to gain career skills by getting a summer job. They will appreciate the money now and the value of the experience later!

School is wrapping up quickly and students are excited for a break. You likely are too! It is amazing how much can go on during this time of year. Depending on what you teach you may be inundated with preparation for final exams, closing out reports and projects, preparing for graduation, or finalizing end of the year meetings. Before we know it the year will be closed out and we will be catching our breath to get ready for next year. Recognizing the rat race you may find yourself in, I pose this challenge to you: Take a moment to appreciate, and give your students the opportunity to do the same.

For you: I’m a runner. Not a particularly fast one, but one who enjoys the trials of training, the fresh air that fills my lungs, and the thrill of crossing the finish line. This crazy season of teaching can often feel like the end of a long race, using all of the adrenaline we’ve stored up to just make it across the finish line. As you see that finish line in site, instead of putting your head down and blindly pushing forward, take a moment to look at your surroundings and appreciate. Find three things today that you are appreciative of. It may be a checked-off to-do list, a clean counter, finally making a connection with a student, or laughter with your class. Make a note of what you appreciate and post it in clear view.

Identify a person you appreciate, who has helped you out this year. Take five minutes to write them a quick note expressing your appreciation and thanking them for their encouragement or guidance. Don’t underestimate the power of a simple hand-written note. They are precious gems in our crazy world of emails and Facebook updates.

For your students: Take the last fifteen minutes of class and provide your students with a blank card or sheet of paper and an envelope. Have students identify one teacher/coach they appreciate, who has helped them out this year. Empower your students to express their appreciation as they write a note of thanks. Students can place their notes in a sealed envelope, and you can slip them in the teachers’ boxes before school gets out. Not only are you teaching your students a valuable lesson on being appreciative, but you just might give a fellow colleague the encouragement they need to cross that finish line with their head held high!