You have almost hit the finish line, teachers! The end of the school year is quickly approaching, and just like the holidays and the beginning of the school year, the amount of stress and work is at a fever pitch. Here are some quick ideas to help you make it through the final weeks of the school year.
1.) Write all the thoughts swirling in your mind down with actual paper and pen. Studies show the act of handwriting makes learning stick. Go old school and ditch the list on your smartphone. Checklists are a key to keeping it all together in these final weeks of the school year. Here’s a FREE vintage-theme checklist. We’ve included one with some must-dos for most classrooms, and a blank one as well. This would also make a fun gift for a partner teacher attached to a cute clip board.
2.) Self-care. I repeat: SELF-CARE. It’s easy to put yourself last in this busy time of IEP meeting, report cards, and yes, MORE meetings. The end of the year is a big time for burn-out. You owe it to yourself to take the time to go for an afterschool walk, yoga on the You Tube at home, or even take a hot Epsom salt bath to unwind. It’s easy to live and breathe all things school, but you are more than a teacher. You are also YOU. So be sure to do something small for yourself every day this last month.
3.) Countdown to build excitement, and keep perspective! Enjoy this fun freebie countdown. Post this to motivate yourself and your students to get to the last day!
4.) Store those memories from the school year with themed memory books. Memory books have been a big tradition in my classrooms for years. Wrapping up the school year with meaningful writing activities give students an authentic purpose and makes an excellent keepsake. We have FOUR themed memory books available for first-fifth grades. There is a pirate theme, a magic theme, a spy theme, and a superhero theme. They are wildly popular at our store on TpT and really keep the kids busy writing the last few weeks of school! Check out our entire end of the year section at TpT to see the memory books and grade level bundles.
5.) Don’t forget to thank those volunteers, parents, and staff who made your school year a success.
6.) Honor the real workhorses of the school year: your students. Our top-seller at TpT, our End of the Year Award Medals, pays recognition to more than just academics: it honors the many skills, talents, and qualities of happy and successful learners.
7.) Please don’t throw tomatoes at us on this one…but- start thinking about next year! Is there any small things you can take care of now to make the return in August easier? Reorganizing, perhaps? A new theme? Start dreaming while you work on your tan and relax!
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Happy End of the Year!
Nicolette
