Tuesday, February 16, 2016

10 Ways a Teacher Survives Winter

1. Snow days - hallelujah! We had one yesterday that I enjoyed quite a bit.

2. Snow delays - a one hour delay is all it takes to bring me some snowy joy.

3. Group work - when my students are as stir crazy as I am, group work allows them to chat and to accomplish a task at the same time.

4. Projects - if they can't work together on something, a long-term project where students are working at their own pace can be a lifesaver. I even get to answer different kinds of questions all day instead of the exact same ones hour after hour.

5. Short bursts of intense activity - I might lecture for 20 minutes, have students work in groups for 20 minutes, then work alone for 15 minutes. While they're busy, I might grade intensely for 20 minutes then read for 15 minutes as a reward. Splitting up their time/activity and mine helps me keep from burning out.

6. Show a film - when I just can't lecture three times on the Restoration and Enlightenment, I search for a documentary on Discovery Education to show. Sometimes, my students need a break from hearing me lecture as much as I need a break from talking.

7. Plug in - schedule iPad time for the class; let them listen to their music while they work on an assignment; schedule online assignments. Plugging in to work can make a monotonous day seem more free and interesting.

8.  Take a little time to chat - sure, there's work to be done every day, but spending five minutes at the beginning or end of class to just chat with older kiddos can be just the break that I and they need most.

9. Go to the lab or the library - sometimes, just getting out of my classroom can be a treat in the middle of winter.

10. Take a sick day, even if it's just for my mental health. Every now and then, playing hooky is good for my attitude and  health.





3 comments:

  1. Great list, but I cannot condone playing hooky, especially for teachers!

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  2. mental health days are necessary sometimes. I used to schedule one a month several years ago. helps everyone in the long run.

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  3. Your room is so pretty. Did you get to choose the paint color?

    ReplyDelete