Why This Is the Best Time of the Year
As we look around the campus right now, and we see a unique energy. This time of year, many people think about winding down, coasting toward summer, wrapping things up, and counting down the days. We see it differently. We call this the best time of the year.
Why? Because now we truly see what we have built. Now, we see what students remember, what they understand, and how they apply everything we have worked on. Right after state testing, this stretch gives us the perfect opportunity to push instruction even further. We no longer have testing pressure. We now hold the space for learning experiences that reach deeper and stretch wider.
Instruction Must Keep Going
We want to remind every educator that the school year has not ended. Students still need direction. They still need high expectations. They still need meaningful tasks that challenge them to think, create, and grow. Our job does not stop after testing. In fact, our purpose is sharpened right here.
As we reach this pivotal point in the year, it’s crucial that we continue to be the beacon of energy and passion. Our students draw inspiration from our commitment. If we show them that we still care deeply about learning, they will follow suit. On the other hand, if we signal that we have checked out, they will be more likely to do the same.
Elevate Learning Through Experiences This Year
Now is the time to show students what learning looks like when we remove barriers. Create labs, hold debates, and dig into projects. Push their thinking. Ask them to reflect. Let them make connections across subjects and apply knowledge in real ways. Learning experiences elevate instruction because they make learning tangible and memorable. When students interact, build, solve, and create, they do more than recall content—they live it. These experiences are where students truly grow.
Now is the time to try something new! Listen to the podcast about our last unit on forces and motion. When you are ready to elevate your instruction remember these steps:
- Choose a content area and pick a topic.
- Gather cross-curricular standards to include.
- Plan purposeful activities for students to make connections through different learning pathways.
- Create a learning experience to elevate your lesson for the students!
- Try a different form of assessment.
- Let the students share their learning with others.
Finish Strong and Set the Tone
As we near t
unique opportunity to set the tone for the next. Let’s ensure that our students feel the success of their achievements and understand that learning is a continuous journey. By reinforcing the mindset that every moment in school is valuable, we can help our students enter the following year with a sense of purpose and anticipation.
unique opportunity to set the tone for the next. Let’s ensure that our students feel the success of their achievements and understand that learning is a continuous journey. By reinforcing the mindset that every moment in school is valuable, we can help our students enter the following year with a sense of purpose and anticipation.We choose to see this as the highlight of the year. When we walk into classrooms, we see creativity come to life. We see relationships between teachers and students reaching their fullest strength. We hear questions that reveal curiosity and deep thinking, and witness confidence shining through. These moments happen because we lean into this season—not away from it.
The Season Belongs to You
We want to encourage every teacher, every support staff member, and every administrator to finish strong. Set the tone. Raise the bar. Provide the kind of instruction that creates purpose and joy. Let your students leave the year better than they came in.
This season belongs to those who show up and stay focused, and to the educators who still believe in learning, even after the tests leave the building. If you share our sentiments, subscribe to our podcast so you are updated and inspired.
So, we say it again: this is the best time of the year.
Show us what you got,
Kara and Meg
Kara and Meg
P.S. It’s Here! ElevatED Educator!
Elevated Educator equips you with exactly what this season of teaching demands—purposeful strategies that extend learning beyond the test and elevate instruction through meaningful experiences.
Elevated Educator provides ready-to-use tools, frameworks, and examples that help teachers create powerful learning moments through labs, debates, real-world projects, and content-rich lessons. The book shows educators how to implement them immediately through different learning pathways!
If you seek to reenergize your instruction, increase student ownership, or create a classroom culture that pushes learning until the final bell, this book is your guide. Our first book, this labor of love, shows our further commitment to education outside the classroom to help schools build intentional, rigorous, and joyful learning environments.
