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The Sunday blues but times a thousand. That feeling you get pulling into the parking lot after a nice long. winter break. Teaching is amazing, especially the schedule. But my goodness if it isn’t the hardest thing to jump back in when you’ve been off!
I remember this experience viscerally. My first few years of teaching, I cried every Monday morning after a break. I just felt overwhelmed thinking about all that I had waiting for me.
Starting around year 5, I got smarter and came up with an action plan. Doing the following few things has absolutely saved my butt AND made those Monday mornings something I actually look forward to.
1. Put in a little extra work BEFORE break.
I know, I know. The last thing you want to do before a break is think about it being over. I get it, I really do. But the teacher version of me described above, crying on a Monday morning, never planned ahead. Clearly it didn’t work out.
Now, I make sure I have at least 2 or more days planned out before I leave for break. For me, this means slide decks made, copies printed, digital assignments scheduled, etc.
Not only does this help me feel better about going back, my students also get a more organized, sane teacher. This allows us to jump back into our rhythms and routines with ease.
2. Do something fun… but not too fun.
Here me out. After break, it’s a good idea to do something like a discussion or an activity about something they did over the break. This gives you and your students a quick connection point. I recommend keeping this pretty brief – maybe a partner discussion, or “Find someone who…” activity.
However… don’t do something that is a little too loosey goosey. Often students who’ve been out of their usual patterns can really struggle with coming back. It’s crucial to help them get back into their patterns quickly.
It’s all about the balance!
3. Re-set Expectations
I don’t know about you, but often I let things slide a little bit before breaks. I’m going to be honest, most of the time I’m in survival mode. Just trying to get to the finish line, you know?
This is a GOLDEN time to think about what’s going well in your classroom and what might need some adjustment. Post-break is the perfect time to affirm all the things your students are doing well. It’s also ideal for trying out some new strategies and/or establishing or re-establishing clear expectations.
One thing I love to do with my students at the start of the year or after a break is to collaboratively develop a class contract. It is so powerful to have students co-create expectations. I have a whole lesson plan that walks through this process, you can purchase it by clicking here.
4. Student Feedback & Self-Reflection
Rewind back to my early years of teaching. There was absolutely no way I would have ever asked my students for feedback about my teaching. I was way too sensitive to what they thought about me. Teaching middle school for 5 years broke me of that habit for sure. In my defense though, middle school kids aren’t always the most observant.
When I went through my National Board Certification process, surveys were so helpful to give me insights into my students. I love learning how they see me and our class, what they find valuable, and what they would change.
I developed a few surveys to get feedback from students at the beginning, middle and end of the year. When I moved over to high school, it continued to be an incredibly helpful strategy.
If you need a survey for the middle of the year, check out this one that I made.
5. Take deep breaths.
Maybe I should have put this first. You’re going to make it! You’ll get back into your rhythm soon. Hang in there and you’ve got this!
