Don't Stop! 4 Ways to Successfully Bring This School Year to a Close and Jump Start Next Year

I am such a linear thinker. I can't move on until I have accomplished what is in front of me. So when I see my coworkers getting ready for next year before this year is even over, it completely blows my mind and literally makes me panic. I am AMAZED at how they make all the copies, get packets prepared, and are planned for the first couple weeks of school before the kids are even out of the classroom!!

Don't get me wrong, I WISH I could be more like this!!! But here's the thing. I can only focus on one.thing.at.a.time. to do it well. And although I know the paperwork is monumental and the more organized you are NOW, the easier it will be in the fall. I KNOW what I need to do right now is keep my focus on the kids currently in my classroom and finish the job I started back in September.

Here's how I end the school year and jump start the new year while maintaining my sanity: (well, for the most part;)

1. Be Present and Stay Connected

The first thing I do at the end of the year is the same thing I did at the beginning of the school year. I focus on being present when I am in my classroom with students. I still greet my kids at the door in the morning. I do 2 minute check-in's with those tough kids and keep connected with what is going on in their lives.

As a class, we work on culminating projects that involve and put into action all that we have learned throughout the year. We present, we discuss, and we celebrate how we have grown. We talk and have conversations and we learn from, agree, and disagree with each other. Whatever you do academically, stay connected. This will help with behavior too! Win! Win!

2. Break out the Ice Breakers

Pull out the Get-to-Know-You games you did at the beginning of the year! They are so much fun, but in a more unique way now that you know your students and they know each other better. The conversations are deeper and more genuine now at the end of the year. One of my favorites: I love pulling out a Table Topic and giving everyone a chance to share. It spurs on laughter and "me too" conversation that makes kids feel a true sense of belonging up until the very end.

3. Begin Thinking About Next Year

I struggle with this because, you know, one thing at a time. ;) But here are a couple of ways to get started so that you won’t have mounds of work to do once the kids are gone.

Classroom Set up! First: WALLS

Look around your room starting with your walls.

•TARGETS: Are your learning targets and goals in a prominent place where you can easily access them and your students know where to locate them at a moment's notice? It’s important they know the "why" of what is being taught.

•ANCHOR CHARTS: Do you have a space for anchor charts digital or otherwise that can be removed and/or added to daily? These are places that kids will refer back to when working, so make them easy for you to use and easy for students to see.

•STUDENT WORK: How will you highlight your student's work? This year, I want to make this a MUCH LARGER part of my classroom. I want the focus to be less on showcasing learning targets and more on accentuating anchor charts made WITH students and celebrating actual student work. I love this example of student work showcased on this large bulletin board @caffinateandeducate

Sketch out how you want this to look when you come back in the fall, create signs and posters, and laminate them now. (not when EVERYONE is back in the fall and the laminator is running 24/7)🙄

Next: FURNITURE AND LEARNING SPACE

•MAIN TEACHING SPACE AND GATHERING AREA: Start with a common area where you would like to have kids gather on the floor or in alternative seating. Even older kids don’t mind gathering on the floor from time to time to change it up. You will most likely want this near your main teaching space. Once you have designated this, move on to where to place your desk.

•TEACHER DESK, WORK TURN-IN, FILES: Place your desk away from the main flow of the classroom. Make sure work turn-in, files, and things that you need when at your desk are within a few steps from it so that you aren't crossing the room 16 times every time you sit down to work at the end of the day.

• STUDENT DESKS: The only rule of thumb here is that you have space for everyone to flow through the room. There are so many ideas on Pinterest. Just pick one you like and go with it!

Now: BRAIN DUMP!

Academically and Socially, make a 2 column list of what worked well and what did not. Let that list drive your thinking, learning, and work over the summer. For instance, my summer work this year will focus on learning how to plan digitally, how to integrate more non-fiction analyzing and writing, and taking my students' reading fluency and comprehension to the next level.

What do you want to enhance, change, or work on for next year? Choose a few of those items from your list and commit to making change in these areas over the summer. Do some research or take a class, but commit to doing this better next year. Don’t take on too much! Make it manageable so that you can accomplish it and do it well!

4. Take Time to NOT Think About School

I like to take the first part of summer and focus on my family and myself. I have fun, I work on home projects, I read (for fun), I run, and I rest. I usually give myself a deadline date (usually August 1) and put school aside until then. I find that if I do this, I can’t wait to jump back in and I work with excitement and diligence when it is time.

That’s it! I hope this helps you get through these last few weeks to finish the school year STRONG so that you can walk away for the summer, rest, regroup, and come back refreshed and prepared to start again in the fall.

Always cheering you on!!

Angie