Ending the School Year Strong!
How can I stay energized to help my students finish strong? What are ways my students can reflect on what they've learned? How can they take these reflections and grow from them?
We are running the final lap of the school year. Everyone is tired! But, we must keep going. We are role models. What type of message would we be sending if we just throw in the towel? We must model for them how to finish strong. You wouldn't join a team and drop out in the middle of the season, would you? Would you hit a home run and just stand at home plate? Of course not! We should finish what we started with the same devotion and zest as we began! Let's keep them learning until the last bell.
"Starting Strong is Good, Finishing Strong is Epic."
-Robin Sharma
How do I end the year on a strong and positive note?
Here are some ways:
Introduce the Idea of a Strong Finish
Have students reflect on questions such as:
What are things you can do to help finish the school year strong academically?
What is one thing you can do to help your classmates finish the year strong academically?
It's fun to have students reflect on their learning for the year and to set goals for the last few weeks. Activities that involve reflective thinking are so beneficial.You can turn their answers into posters that can be hung around the classroom as a reminder.
Celebrate Academic and Social Achievements
Have students celebrate their achievements and be excited for what's to come:
It is important to celebrate hard work and learning, living up to class rules and the effort put into collaborating to solve problems together throughout the year. Rather than counting down the days, I like to start a list of our accomplishments for the year. Each day we add a different students' accomplishment. Then we celebrate our growth! I like to have students do a writing on three new things they tried or learned this school year and one thing they hope to learn in the upcoming school year.
Practice Positive Mindset
Have your students share something positive about each other:
Model positive mindset always. Walk into the classroom with a smile daily.
Have your students brainstorm positive traits about each other and make a list for each student. I like to write their names on top of a paper, then we pass it around and add positive attributes about that student. We do one student a day for the last 26 days of school. My students love to do one for me on the very last day of school.
Make Time for Fun
Have fun:
Although the end of the year is packed full of tests, presentations, and stress it's important that your students enjoy the last few weeks of school. I love to do activities such as
Though we generally think of the word "end" as a conclusion, we should keep in mind it comes from the Greek word anti, which means "before." While we might think we're concluding the school year, we are really and much more importantly setting students up for what comes next.
Positively Teaching,
What are things you can do to help finish the school year strong academically?
What is one thing you can do to help your classmates finish the year strong academically?
It's fun to have students reflect on their learning for the year and to set goals for the last few weeks. Activities that involve reflective thinking are so beneficial.You can turn their answers into posters that can be hung around the classroom as a reminder.
Celebrate Academic and Social Achievements
Have students celebrate their achievements and be excited for what's to come:
It is important to celebrate hard work and learning, living up to class rules and the effort put into collaborating to solve problems together throughout the year. Rather than counting down the days, I like to start a list of our accomplishments for the year. Each day we add a different students' accomplishment. Then we celebrate our growth! I like to have students do a writing on three new things they tried or learned this school year and one thing they hope to learn in the upcoming school year.
Practice Positive Mindset
Have your students share something positive about each other:
Model positive mindset always. Walk into the classroom with a smile daily.
Have your students brainstorm positive traits about each other and make a list for each student. I like to write their names on top of a paper, then we pass it around and add positive attributes about that student. We do one student a day for the last 26 days of school. My students love to do one for me on the very last day of school.
Make Time for Fun
Have fun:
Although the end of the year is packed full of tests, presentations, and stress it's important that your students enjoy the last few weeks of school. I love to do activities such as
- go on virtual field trips
- go on a nature walk
- have theme days
- have a field day
- write letters to the incoming class
- do hands-on science projects
Though we generally think of the word "end" as a conclusion, we should keep in mind it comes from the Greek word anti, which means "before." While we might think we're concluding the school year, we are really and much more importantly setting students up for what comes next.
Positively Teaching,
Randi Muehlen
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