Keeping the Learning Going

This is an interesting time of year for educators. With only a few days to go before a much-needed winter break, teachers squeeze as much learning as possible into the minutes between concert rehearsals, assemblies, special holiday projects, and so many other opportunities of the season. They’re working hard to finish units of study, prepare report cards, attend meetings, and do the nineteen last-minute tasks that need to be done. To add to it all, students’ excitement and anticipation means that classes are noisier and students are more rambunctious than usual.

Needless to say, this time of year can be stressful. So I’ve been wondering… how do we create an environment that’s calm, supportive, and helps keep the learning going? How do we not just survive but actually thrive during these days leading up to winter break?