Getting Your Class Back on Track After Holiday Breaks

Quick Start Guide

• Take It Slow

• Reteach Procedures

• Strengthen Classroom Culture

• Get Organized

I teach both Senior and Freshman English at the high school level, so while these are general guidelines for keeping or getting your classroom back on track, you may need to adjust to fit the individual needs of your grade level and class dynamic.

Oftentimes I hear colleagues refer to the kids as being “squirrely” right before or after an extended break. While this is a more colloquial term that teachers use and not exactly a scientific one, it is a fairly accurate way to describe behaviors in class. Students tend to be off task and behaving in ways that aren’t as typical as you might see in long stretches of uninterrupted instruction. For some it is the excitement of simply being at home, seeing relatives, doing those holiday things such as family gatherings, large feasts, or where I live in Northern Michigan, it can be sledding, skiing, hunting, snowmobiling, or any other fun outdoor activity kids enjoy.

For some however, these holiday breaks are not welcome time away from school. As many of us know, not all of our students have stable or caring home lives. These students may get anxious before a break knowing that meals may be scarce or even completely void. They rely on school breakfasts and lunches for the bulk of their nutrition. Some may also not welcome that much time with siblings, parents, or other caregivers that don’t treat them as well as they may be treated at school.

Whatever the case may be, good or bad, there is often a noticeable difference in behaviors when students return to school following these breaks.

Here are some tips on how to reclaim your room:

1. Take the first day or two back slowly.

You don’t need to completely abandon instruction or interrupt an ongoing unit, but slowing things down a bit can help.

• Perhaps offer a little more talk time than you might regularly.

• Use a writing prompt and free writing time for students to express themselves, reflect on the break, or share what they did with the whole class instead of many small interruptive conversations. In other words, formalize discussions that are going to happen anyway.

• Give students opportunities to work collaboratively on those first few days back.

• Use tools like Kahoot, or Booklet to ease back into class with some engaging and fun activities.

• If you need to keep it low key, offer some extended Silent Reading time with flexible seating and have small check-ins with individual students. This is a great way to make sure everyone is on track or at least has a plan for success moving forward while maintaining a quiet relaxed mood.

2. Reteach procedures and expectations.

It isn’t necessarily that students forget how things work in your classroom, but a few days out of practice can lead to abandonment of these procedures altogether if not reintroduced. This benefits both you and the student as a reminder of how we “conduct” class on a regular basis. I tend to use afore mentioned gaming sites like Kahoot or Blooket to reteach expectations and procedures such as playing “How to be Awesome in Mr. Seymour’s Class” themed quizzes.

• Use an engaging presentation

• Use video either made by you or borrowed from other teachers on what it looks like to have a smooth running classroom.

• Use educational gaming

3. Strengthen classroom culture.

Give students opportunities to reflect on their break or some other aspect of their life and share it with peers. I picked up a great class warm up technique from a college professor in my undergrad studies in which she asked us how we were feeling on any given day by having us describe ourselves as food, a weather pattern, or some other “thing” that would allow us to tell her how we were doing without actually getting too specific. Kids love this one.

I also do regular check-ins with my classes in which I let them write down unfiltered feedback for me. Essentially I ask them to tell me how we can make class better. Let them be honest and don’t take it personally. It’s their class too. We then follow up with a talking circle or some other forum of discussion. Right after a break is a great time to do these checks. Make sure to moderate the conversation using pre-established norms, again, reteaching them too. And of course, keep it positive.

4. Organize

For your benefit and that of your students, get organized. Whether it’s the physical or digital spaces in your classroom, take some time to get things in order.

Having students get organized is also an effective way to transition back into the classroom. Letting students complete a low risk task or activity that isn’t academic or grade related on the first day or two back takes some pressure off of them to be performing at the same high level expected right when they left. Most won’t be up to that level of work on day one after a week or longer break from school.

Introducing folders, whether real or digital, for students to organize or collect their work offers a sense of completion as well. Let them decorate and personalize them for even more expression of their individuality.

Ultimately, realize that the kids will at times get "squirrely" around the holidays or other extended breaks. When you all get back, allow yourself and your students some grace. Set the tone, but do it wisely.

You and your students will be better for it.