Reimagining the "Sunday Scaries"

Doc Holbrook and her daughters enjoying an LBI sunrise.

Turning "Sunday Scaries" into Monday Momentum

If you work in education, you’re probably familiar with the analogy that compares summer break to the weekend: June is Friday night, July is Saturday, and August—well, August is Sunday. And like many Sundays during the school year, it comes with a creeping feeling of dread. The “Sunday Scaries” are real, especially for teachers.

As August rolls in, the signs start to appear: back-to-school sales, supply list emails, and that inevitable welcome-back letter. And now, thanks to social media, we’re treated to reels and TikToks of teachers jokingly banding together, bracing for the return. It’s relatable—but also revealing. It reminds us just how demanding this work really is.

Summer is for family, for slow mornings, and for collecting the kind of memories that carry you through the school year. This past week, I was down at Long Beach Island with my family—reading Red Scarf Girl and Summer of the Mariposas for our middle schools in between beach walks and ocean swims. Even when teachers are “off,” our minds are never far from the classroom. I think of my mom, gathering seashells with me as a child, then bringing them to her kindergarteners for sorting, counting, or art. It’s a reminder that teaching is woven into who we are.

Let’s be clear: No one stays in teaching for the summer breaks. The job is exhausting, intense, and deeply personal. Teachers aren’t just delivering lessons. They’re tying shoes, calming fears, wiping tears, and holding space for the emotional lives of dozens of children—while planning, grading, and somehow still returning parent phone calls during a 40-minute prep.

That’s why the Sunday Scaries don’t just reflect anxiety—they reflect care. They reflect the weight of this work, and the depth of our commitment to doing it well.

But here’s the thing: Sundays don’t have to be scary. And neither does August.

That’s the idea behind Sundays with Sarah—a weekly space where educators can reflect, reset, and feel just a little more ready for the week (or school year) ahead. It’s a reminder that we’re not in this alone. We are a community. We share the same goals, the same worries, and the same hope that what we’re doing matters.

Let’s reframe the narrative: what if Sunday became a time to prepare—not panic? What if instead of dread, we felt grounded?

Sundays with Sarah is more than a blog—it’s an invitation to breathe, plan, and remind yourself: You’ve got this. And better yet, we’ve got each other.

Sarah’s Top Tools to Start the Year Off Right

Starting strong is all about choosing resources that are effective, easy to implement, and grounded in research. Here are five of my favorite tools and programs that every educator should consider as they kick off the school year:

1. UFLI & Phonics for Reading – Whether you're working with early readers or older students, these programs are game-changers. They’re teacher-friendly, evidence-based, and incredibly effective at building decoding and fluency skills.

2. The Writing Revolution – This approach transforms student writing by beginning at the sentence level and building up. It gives students a framework to think clearly and write effectively, which are essential for success across all subjects. One of the best things about it, it can be used with any curriculum!

3. SUNY New Paltz Science of Reading Microcredential – If you’re looking to strengthen your understanding of how students learn to read, this professional development opportunity is for you. It’s a powerful way to grow your practice and better serve your students.

4. ReadWorks – Newsela - These resources provide high-quality, leveled texts that can complement any reading program. It’s a great way to build background knowledge, vocabulary, and comprehension. And the best thing, both offer free subscriptions!

5. The 4QM Social Studies Method – The Four Question Method brings clarity and coherence to social studies instruction. By organizing units around four key types of questions (narrative, causal, interpretive, and ethical), it helps students build content knowledge and critical thinking skills in a way that sticks.

So here’s your Sunday reset: Soak up these last weeks of summer, hold onto the family moments, the beach walks, and even the seashells—because they’re what fill our tanks for the year ahead. Enjoy the rest of your summer, rest up, and get ready to turn those Sunday Scaries into Monday Momentum!

See you next Sunday!

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References

Hochman, J. C., & Wexler, N. (2017). The writing revolution: A guide to advancing thinking through writing in all subjects and grades. Jossey-Bass.

University of Florida Literacy Institute. (2022). UFLI Foundations: Teacher manual. University of Florida Literacy Institute. https://ufli.education.ufl.edu/foundations/

Curriculum Associates. (n.d.). Phonics for reading program. Curriculum Associates. https://www.curriculumassociates.com/

ReadWorks. (n.d.). ReadWorks. https://www.readworks.org/

Newsela. (n.d.). Newsela. https://newsela.com/

Stern, J., & Roberts, B. (2017). The 4QM method: A guide to planning and teaching history. Harvard Education Press.

State University of New York at New Paltz. (n.d.). Science of reading microcredential. State University of New York at New Paltz. https://www.newpaltz.edu/

Jiang, J. (1997). Red scarf girl: A memoir of the cultural revolution. HarperCollins.

McCall, G. (2012). Summer of the mariposas. Lee & Low Books.