Summer might feel like a pause, but for school leaders, it's a window: a chance to reset systems, clean up processes, and set your team up for a stronger start, without asking more of them.
Planning is one of the most time-consuming tasks teachers face. It’s also one of the most misunderstood. If you want to support instruction in a meaningful way next year, start by looking at what happens before anyone steps into a classroom.
Here are three ways to use the summer to strengthen planning, without piling on more work.
Most teachers spend the first few weeks of the year figuring out what’s expected when it comes to planning. Some ask colleagues. Others guess. Use the summer to create or refine a simple, central hub:
This doesn’t mean mandating how everyone plans. It means reducing ambiguity, so teachers can focus on instruction.
Whether you have coaches, department leads, or just a strong support culture, planning should be visible, not invisible. Over the summer, consider:
This is where a platform like Speakable can support your work. It allows teachers to design speaking-focused assignments in less time. That gives your support team more to respond to, and gives teachers more time to teach.
Planning is personal. So when changes come in August, even small shifts can feel like big asks.
Use the summer to pre-draft the message. Think about what you want teachers to hear when you talk about planning:
We created a small resource to help with that:
Speakable helps schools support smarter planning with tools that are ready when your team is. Teachers can create AI-scored speaking assignments in minutes, get instant feedback for students, and track progress in real time—all without adding to their workload.
It’s one way to give time back to your teachers while giving leaders the visibility they need.