As we begin the second half of the school year, we can all use some renewed energy and attitude refreshment. We might want to leave behind some of what happened in the first several months of the year, and a shift in routine and some new perspectives can lift our spirits. While we may not be able to fully restart, there are steps we can take to reset our attitude, change up our routines, adopt new approaches, and discover useful tools.
Of course, there remains much from the first semester that we nurtured and coached with students that we want to maintain. However, students, too, will want to have new experiences and try fresh approaches to what lies ahead. Consider these six reset-and-refresh ideas to help your students—and you—get off to an energized start for the second half of the year.
Reorganize and refresh the classroom. Physically reorient the classroom. Maybe the “front” of the room can face a new direction. You might reconfigure student seating to support more collaboration or reduce distractions. New posters, quotes, and displays of student work are options, too (but be careful not to over-decorate). Studies have shown that changing the space where we work, learn, and live can reset our thinking patterns and shift our work habits. Not unlike occupying a new space, making changes in the space where we spend our days can be refreshing.
Get reacquainted with students. Rather than just welcoming students back with all the experiences and judgments accumulated during the first half of the year, commit to taking a fresh look. Be intentional about finding something new and interesting about each student. Let go of anything that might hold back or impede your relationship with them. You might go as far as reintroducing yourself and having students do the same. Letting go of history and connecting with students where they are now can open productive doors to learning and growth for us and them.
Revisit classroom rules and routines. Shifting routines can add novelty and variety as students return. Consider revisiting existing rules with students, reminding students why rules are important, and exploring with students any changes they think might be useful and warranted. Your flexibility and understanding can be a good opening message as students return. As an added challenge, see if you and your students can state all rules in language that explains what students can and should do rather than what they cannot do. For example, rather than having a rule that says, “Don’t run in the halls,” the rule might be stated as “Walk when traveling in the hallway.”
Set classroom goals. Consider teaching and coaching students to set goals. If goal setting was not part of students’ experience during the first portion of the year, setting some now can be an energizing and focus-building activity. The goals might be shared by the entire class or set individually. If the goals are group-based, it is usually best to focus the goals on behavior, relationships, or other non-academic elements to avoid placing undue stress and pressure on students who face learning challenges. Individually set goals might address these same elements and include academics, but having students focus on improvement rather than performance gives every student something for which they can strive.
Adopt a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can save you time and make your life easier. One of the promises of newly developed AI tools is that they can perform routine tasks that teachers previously had to do themselves. As examples, AI tools can draft correspondence, assist with lesson planning, and suggest real-life applications for what we are teaching. Take some time to explore, then decide what tool (or tools) might be most helpful and try them out.
Try a new instructional strategy. Start by reflecting on the types of concepts, categories of skills, or areas of content where students typically struggle. Talk with colleagues, check with professional development staff, consult instructional coaches, do an internet search, or tap other resources to see what might work for you. You might identify several options and possibilities. However, start by trying just one that seems to be the best match with your need. If that approach doesn’t accomplish what you want, having other options positions you to keep trying until you find what works for you. The key is to choose something that meets a need and will help you to be more successful.
Treating the return to school as simply resuming the work begun in the first part of the year may be the easiest option, but injecting some novelty and creating some variety can give us and our students a welcome lift. Also, treating this time as an opportunity for a new start can give everyone permission and encouragement to let go of what is not helpful and adopt what may hold more potential.
