Keeping Your Classroom Crisp After a Break
It’s so easy for students to check out after testing and spring break. As teachers we know how critical it is to thread student investment through the end of the year. Here are some tips and tricks that work to drive student engagement:
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CREATE A COUNTDOWN: Keep students excited by starting a end of grade countdown!
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CELEBRATE PROGRESS: Acknowledge and reward your kids’ progress! They’ve worked so hard all year – don’t let that go unnoticed.
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COMPARE & CONTRAST: Read a book and watch the movie; afterwards set your students up to have meaningful discussion about the two.
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REFLECT: Have your students create a class or individual memory book from the past school year.
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RAMP UP YOUR LESSON PLANNING: Make sure your plans are tight and expectations don’t slip.
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INCORPORATE (more) BRAIN BREAKS: Again, our kids work hard! Build in a few extra brain breaks through the day to keep them fresh.
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STEP UP YOUR INVESTMENT SYSTEM: Be purposeful and diligent in keeping your kids invested in your class and their individual goals.
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SPRUCE UP YOUR LESSONS WITH GAMES: Get silly by incorporating games into your lessons. My kids are ALWAYS up for Pie Face, CSI, and Four Corners, to name a few.
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SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS: Be open about what they can expect in the following school year.
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PREPARE: Give students work they will do in the next grade level.
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PROJECTS: Allow students to do projects reflective of their best learning styles
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PLAN A FIELD TRIP: Take your learnings outside of school. Seize the opportunity to have your students learn from other environments.
