Three Tips for Back to School After Christmas Break
Click HERE to listen to this episode on the Let’s Talk Teaching Podcast with Kayla Durkin
Three Tips for Back to School After Christmas Break
You’ve been off for almost two weeks and it’s time to go back to school after winter break! Your students miss you like crazy, they're excited to see you, see their friends, and kick off another new year.
Whether you’re going back to school virtually or in-person, I have three tips for you today that are going to help you kick off the second half of the school year in the right way.
🎧 Want to listen to this episode on the Let’s Talk Teaching Podcast with Kayla Durkin? If so, click HERE!
1. Build Relationships with Students
Building relationships in the classroom is something you should put a priority on every single day of the school year, but especially after your students just went weeks without seeing you. Here are a few of the things I do every single day with my students to continue building our classroom community.
Greet every student and say goodbye to every student
Use their names any chance that you can, especially during positive praise
Morning meetings/Afternoon class meetings
Daily Check-ins
Listen to their stories
I know I know, sometimes the stories go on and... On. And. On. For. Ev. Er. Remember though, you might be the only person taking time to hear what they have to say.
You’re also going to want to center all of the activities that you do for the week around building relationships. When you’re looking at your lesson plans and standards, and figuring out what content needs to be cover, consider how you can incorporate relationship building activities into your lesson plans.
Relationship Building Activities for Students
Find Someone Who puzzles and worksheets
Team Building Activities
STEM Projects and PBL’s
Partner Reading
Group Science/Social Studies Project
Math Workshop Team Time
While these activities are happening, be sure you’re circulating the room, having conversations with your students, and using as much positive praise as you can.
If you’re not using positive notes home for students yet, check these out!
2. Classroom Routines to Teach and Reteach After Winter Break
When you return from winter break, you’re going to be surprised at how many routines and procedures your students seemed to have forgotten while they were away. Instead waiting to find out, let’s be proactive! Start brainstorming ways to review the routines that you’re currently using in your classroom. This is also a great time to rethink things that weren’t going as well, or implement new routines you maybe forgot last fall. If your brain is fried and you’re out of ideas, no worries, I have a few for you!
How to Reteach Classroom Expectations
Do an inventory survey, quiz, or check list to see what expectations they remember or maybe need to be reminded of.
Make posters for transitions and expectations
Think Gallery Walks, Sticky note activities, Digital poster submissions
Practice, practice, practice!
If you’re worried about how your students are going to do walking to lunch or recess, using a hall pass, getting ready for daily five, etc., practice with them.
If there is a transition that’s taking way too long, start timing them and turn it into a fun competition to beat their previous time.
If you need a routines and procedures check list, grab this one!
Another great resource that your students are sure to love when it comes to reviewing routines and procedures is this Routines and Procedures Jeopardy Activity.
Review Classroom Rules After Break
Are you looking for an engaging way to review classroom expectations after break with your students? If so, look to further! This jeopardy game is a great way to get classwide participation while making sure everyone is on the same page about each classroom expectation!
You will surely have strong classroom management if all students know exactly what is expected of them at all times.
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
Game Show Board with 25 linked question/answer slides
25 Q/A slides + Final Jeopardy Slide
Scorecards for 2-6 teams
Teacher Prep Tips
Game Directions
3. Classroom Organization and Management ideas
I know you have a million other things to do to get ready for the new year, but before we go, I want to be sure to share a few classroom organization and management ideas with you. If you know me or you’ve been here before, you already know the first thing I am going to say…
Do a teacher brain dump!
These Teacher To Do List Printable Pages are the perfect way to dump everything out of your brain and prioritize all that needs to be done.
Once you know what needs to be done, you can start marking it out on your calendar!
If you’re more of a paper/pencil calendar kind of person, you’re definitely going to want to grab these editable monthly calendar templates for teachers!
Use a Digital Calendar App
Hopefully you don’t need too much convincing, but if so, here is another blog post I wrote dedicated solely to using a digital calendar! Nobody likes forgetting about an IEP or remembering last minute that they said they would cover someones lunch duty. Whenever something important is coming up, add it to your digital calendar. Not only will it help you plan ahead and stay organized, but it will ease a bit of the anxiety that comes along with not being able to remember what is happening or when.
Of course, all of these tips have been about setting yourself up for success when you go back to school after winter break. However this one is going to make your mornings run just a bit smoother.
Lay everything out the night before
When I say everything, I mean.. everything. If you like going to the gym after school, have your gym bag ready the night before. If you like making a special breakfast or shake, have the shaker cup and supplies ready for the morning. If finding something to wear is always a nightmare, pick out your outfit ahead of time. Anything you can do to help your morning run a little smoother is always worth the extra time the night before.
Aside from getting yourself ready the night before, you should always set out all of the supplies and materials, copies, etc., that you will need for school before going home each day. I think we have all needed to make a copy when suddenly the copy machine is jammed, a colleague asks you to stop by their room, or you are simply running late because you waited until the last minute to pack that gym bag at home.
Make a list of three to five non-negotiables that you’re going to do after school each day to help you stay organized and prepared for the next day. Here are a few ideas:
Clean off desk/workspace
Write everything up on the board/agenda
Have morning slides ready to go
Layout activity supplies
Have copies ready
Make sure your non-negotiables are things that are going to work for you and are things that are going to make your life easier. However, if you miss one or two days, don’t be too hard on yourself. Give yourself grace. There is always tomorrow!
Use a folder, binder, or filing system
When I was a first year teacher, the papers were a major stressor for me. I could never find what I needed and everything somehow ended up in a pile to die. Around the second semester, I started putting processes in place that helped me stay organized and on top of things.
I ended up hanging a fabric file folder on the wall and each file was labeled something important that I needed access to daily.
The files I had were:
Important
File
Grade
Copy
Hand back
This hanging file system was my saving grace. By year two I started using this teacher binderr in addition to my hanging files and I suddenly became a teacher who could be given a sheet of paper and be able to find it again when it was needed. It was absolute magic haha! But seriously, it was a game changer. Be sure to find a way to help you keep the papers organized, it will ease a lot of stress!
As you’re going back to school, please know that I am here for you, thinking about you and your kiddos, and praying for nothing but the absolute best! If there is ever anything else I can do for you, please let me know!
Please remember, you’re doing a great job and you are right where you are meant to be!
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How have these Back to School Teacher Tips helped you?
What questions do you have? I'd love to hear about your journey or chat about your teaching experiences!
Please email me at kayla@ndteaching.com or send me a DM on Instagram @mrskayladurkin
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