Blogs Here’s the deal…I love summer. Flat out favorite season. I even loved summer before I became a teacher! Sun on my skin…outdoor adventure on a whim…fireworks on the 4th of July…and the occasional yummy drink! Pair that beverage with a good book and I’m in. Give me a hammock and you may not see me for days! So, I decided it’s time to set you up for the last month of summer. Check out my list of 9 choice summer drinks paired with 9 must reads for teachers!
1. Early Morning Quiet Camping Coffee: I take my coffee with sweetener at the campfire when “the littles” aren’t awake! This can be a quiet, reflective time. Once you have your cup of joe, open up this great read – A Year of Mindfulness: A 52-Week Guided Journal to Cultivate Peace and Presence by Jennifer Raye. Take that “you time” and journal your way to calm. If you are interested in learning more about mindfulness and how you can teach it to your students, check out OL 5018: Incorporating Mindfulness: Strategies to Encourage Student Focus and Awareness.
2. Cazuelas-Batch Style in a Pitcher: Why in a pitcher? Because, according to my secret source, one isn’t enough. With this tasty refresher, take some time to learn about Minnesota Pop Legend, Prince. Filled with never-before-seen photos and lyrics, Prince pens his own story in The Beautiful Ones. Grab a seat in your favorite outdoor chair, soak up the sunlight, and sip your way to relaxation. You deserve it!
3. Iced Matcha Latte: I’ve never had one, but my teammate tells me it’s pretty yummy. Maybe I’ll try it. Plus, it’s over ice, not blended like my book recommendation, Blended Learning in Action: A Practical Guide Toward Sustainable Change by Catlin R. Tucker, Tiffany Wycoff, and Jason T. Green. With the change to the teaching and learning environment that we are all working through due to COVID-19, I cannot recommend this book enough. The same goes for OL 5097: Making the Shift to Blended Learning in Your Classroom. It’s a course that every teacher should take as soon as possible.
4. Summertime Sangria: Fruit and wine can’t be wrong. And if it is, I don’t want to be right! Sit down with a large fancy glass of this refresher and pick up Little Fires Everywhere: A Novel by Celeste Ng. Lots of drama and secrets, completely unrelated to school, learning, and teaching…just a little guilty pleasure…finally!
5. Root Beer Float in a Frosty Mug: Now this is one to just sit back and enjoy. Can’t get much better than the creamy mixture of vanilla ice cream and rich, frothy soda…the colder the better. Since your focus will be mainly on your treat, relax with an audio book. America’s Dirt: A Novel by Jeanine Cummins is being labeled as the next Grapes of Wrath and one of the most important books of our times. Sounds like a must read (or listen) to me!
6. Good Old Lemonade: You just can’t go wrong with this summertime classic. And what better book to pair with this icy fresh squeezed option, but a modern classic read, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It might be a bit dated, but it’s still wonderful just like lemonade.
7. Beer…Just Ice Cold Beer: I couldn’t do a summer beverage list without this drink of the masses. Just out of the cooler, on a pontoon, slight breeze…oh sorry, I was daydreaming. This traditional beverage calls for an introspective look to give yourself permission to do less! If you are in the field of education, you should read Fewer Things, Better: The Courage to Focus on What Matters Most by Angela Watson. And why not read it with a beer in hand? Oh, I should mention, you can get graduate level, continuing education credit for reading this one. Check out our iCourse for more info.
8. Orange Julius…A Childhood Favorite: This drink brings me back to summer evenings spent with neighborhood kids. A simpler, happy time where parents sat out on the deck and kids ran the blender! If you have a chance, make these for your family. They will love them. As you sip yours, read The Positive Shift by Catherine Sanders. It is sure to increase your happiness. Note: Teaching Channel has a course using this text, and it is making our teacher customers very, very happy! 5105:
Living Your Best Life, Inside & Outside the Classroom
9. Backyard Happy Hour Mojito: My absolute favorite adult beverage must be included in this summertime list. The traditional version is delicious, but I prefer a few berries in mine! Of course, I must pair my favorite summer beverage with my favorite genre…the psychological thriller. The Family by Louise Jensen is on my reading list this summer. Reviews with descriptions like, “dramatic impact,” “keeps you guessing,” and “unputdownable read” made this “buy now” decision easy!
Whatever you drink, whatever you read, take the time to sit down, relax and breathe. Celebrate summer in a way that renews YOU!
