Every educator has been told by a well-meaning friend how great it must be to have the summers "off." Yet every educator knows that "summers off" have gone the way of the agrarian culture that is so often blamed for shaping school schedules. Still, no matter what you have planned for summer—graduate classes, full-time employment, or catching up with your family responsibilities, one thing is true: Your summer beckons, and, despite your busy schedule, with a little luck and planning, it could be a delightful one.
In this issue, fellow educators share with you their ideas on how to spend the summer. It's time to learn something new, create your professional learning network, read outside the box, or build up resistance to stress, they urge. And if your thoughts turn schoolward, why not reflect upon your teaching practice, hone your leadership skills, or study up on the Common Core standards? Then again, they note, consider the benefits of barbeques, museum-hopping, and taking a nap. Take your pick of the plentiful choices, and invent your own summer.
EL is also approaching the summer in a new way. We've taken the opportunity to experiment with an all-digital bonus issue that is open to members and nonmembers alike. Along with our articles by both well-known and brand-new authors, we've added visual elements, video clips, and lots of click-to tools that you might find fun and useful as you read your EL on your computer or on the mobile device of your choice.
We especially invite all members and nonmembers to read our summaries of "Best of EL 2012–13" articles, and consider the theme issues we will be publishing in 2013–14. You may want to write for future issues. And, if you are not already a member, perhaps you would like to join ASCD and receive Educational Leadership each month, as well as multiple other benefits. Or perhaps you would like to subscribe to EL by itself. Both a print-plus-digital subscription and a digital-only subscription are available.
The EL staff has had fun compiling this issue, and now we are busy creating the lineup for the next publishing year. In the meantime, your summer is still in the making. Hope you enjoy it.
