Are you prepared for teaching ESY or are you frantically trying to come up with a game plan so that you can squeeze in some pool time first this summer?!
If you are new to special education, you might even be wondering what ESY is and why we are talking about it. Let’s discuss what ESY stands for, how long it is and 4 tips you NEED to know before teaching ESY.
What is ESY?
In education, ESY is an acronym for extended school year. This is always part of an IEP of a student with a disability. The IEP team decides if it is necessary for a student to attend extra school during the summer (hence-extending the school year). A student may qualify for ESY if they did not make adequate progress on some or all of their IEP goals. Data collection over IEP goals is what will help the IEP team decide if a student qualifies for ESY.
How Long is Extended School Year?
Extended School Year or ESY is anywhere from 3-8 weeks in the summer typically. This number varies wildly depending on the district that you are in. A lot of districts split the day into two sessions so that students can attend ESY either in the morning or afternoon.
Are Extended School Year and Summer School the Same?
The short answer is no. Extended school year (ESY) and summer school are not technically the same thing. However, there can be some overlap. ESY is only for students with a disability. Students must have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and IEP goals to qualify for extended school year over the summer. ESY is specialized instruction related to a student’s IEP. Most districts run a summer school program at the same time in which district students typically qualify for extra academic help to retain skills over the long break.
4 Tips for Teaching ESY
Now that you understand what extended school year or ESY is, maybe you are interested in teaching it for your district. If you decide to teach the Extended School Year session over summer, here are 4 tips you need to know for teaching ESY:
#1- Have a Routine
Just like during the school year, it is important to have a routine for ESY. This will help limit behaviors, give student independence and honestly-help your sanity. Extended school year is always going to be more laid back than the typical school year. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a general outline of what your day will look like.
Try a simple ESY schedule, such as:
- Unpack
- Centers
- Recess
- Lunch
- Science Experiment or Cooking
- Dismissal
#2- Try New Activities such as Science Experiments or Visual Recipes
It is hard to come to school in summer when all you want to do is be home playing. It can be difficult for both the students and the teachers. Make sure you try new activities that you might not be able to fit into the crazy schedule during the school year that are fun and engaging. Science experiments can be fun and exciting for your students. If you are able to cook, check out some new visual recipes to try during school in the summer.
#3-Focus on IEP Goals and Basic Skills
When it comes down to it, ESY is all about making progress on IEP goals. Try having some IEP goal bins to rotate out during centers to make it easy to collect data. Basic skills worksheets and activities are always a good way to go. These are skills that you definitely don’t want students to regress on over summer break.
#4-Have FUN!
Remember-keep it FUN! Like I said above, it is hard to be in school during the summer so it MUST BE FUN! If it’s not, then why on earth will you or your students want to show up each day?! Check out this DIY Fizzy Frozen Chalk Paint you can make from 123 Homeschool 4 Me for epic summer fun!
Want 8 Weeks of ESY Planned FOR you?!
If you are signed up to teach ESY this summer but want to fit in some MUCH DESERVED self-care time first (we know…it’s been a LONG year!), check out SIMPLE ESY!
Here’s the deal: Teachers need the extra money over the summer to teach extended school year or summer school.
Here’s the other deal: Teachers need time off during the summer to regroup for the next school year and from the previous year!
This is EXACTLY why I created Simple ESY. I don’t want you to have to spend any hours outside of the summer classroom planning or prepping. You don’t deserve that! You need a print and go plan that is manageable and FUN! (don’t forget it IS summer break, after all!)
The LAST thing you want to be doing during summer break is MORE planning for the curriculum that you aren’t provided with.
Simple ESY has everything you need:
- Teacher’s Guide
- Planning Guide (editable version too!)
- Summer Recipes
- Science Experiments
- Sensory Activities
- Schedules for ESY
- Basic Skills Activities
- Cut and Paste Fine Motor Worksheets
- Social Stories + Comprehension
- Adapted Books
- Summer Picture Comprehension
- Summer Choice Boards
Simple ESY is available in my TpT Store or on the website
(where you can earn credits towards free products!)
Are you teaching extended school year this summer?! What is your biggest TIP?
The post 4 Tips you NEED to KNOW for Teaching ESY appeared first on Simply Special Ed.