l Mentor a new or struggling teacher
over the summer.
l Be a docent at a local museum.
l Check on elderly neighbors,
friends, and family.
OppOrtunity 6:
Do wilder activities that
really aren’t that wild.
There’s an adventurer in all of us,
and letting him or her run wild
for a bit breathes life into everyday
existence. With risk, we stand tall,
beaming in the knowledge that we
took a chance and blazed a new trail—and that trail
can lead to other new trails. With hearts and minds
pumping, we’re energized, and we have fun: Oh, yeah,
we remember, life has joy!
When we return to the classroom in the fall, we will
grin more easily. Students will marvel at our new vigor
and maybe even get a little suspicious about what our
new energized selves have in store for them. And with
that, we will grin even more.
This summer, go wild:
l Go on a road trip across the United States, or at least
half of it.
l Play paintball with family and friends. It’s more fun
than you think!
l Apply to teach in an overseas, international school.
l Design and market a new game or app related to
your content area.
l Learn to play bridge. Take a minimum of 10 lessons
to start. Contact the American Contract Bridge
League for instructors.
l Turn an extra room of your house into an office just
for you.
l Start a book or philosophy discussion group.
l Try your hand at stand-up comedy at a local club.
l Go rappelling down a cliff face on ropes with a local
climbing club. It’s easier than climbing up, and it’s
absolutely thrilling.
l Participate in a group ropes course with colleagues
and friends.
l Go on a bike tour. Bike tourism, even for
noncompetitive, occasional bicyclists, is dramatically
up in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. Join
a bike tour of wineries, historical sites, river rides,
scenic nature, and more. Segway tours of cities are
also a wonderful experience.
GO FOr it!
Summer’s here! Peel away the school-year stresses, and
explore those things that renew your energy, make
you feel whole, and maybe even push you in wonderful, unexplored directions. Take unfettered time to
contemplate teaching, family relationships, or the way
a river carves its shoreline. Whatever you do, enjoy
each day’s lunch—and make the most of it. EL
Rick Wormeli has almost 30 years of teaching experience, with a focus on the middle school level. His
latest book is titled The Collected Writing (so far) of
Rick Wormeli (Association for Middle-Level Education,
2013).
