Monday 20 December 2010

Keep Learning Going During Holiday & Vacation Times

 Adapted from Responsive™ blog posts by Mike Anderson and Margaret Wilson
  http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/newsletter



Teacher reading to childrenSuddenly, it seems like the class is falling apart. Classroom routines that were going smoothly just a few weeks ago now seem rough around the edges. More and more children are forgetting to follow classroom rules. The noise level is higher, and academic productivity seems lower. What's going on?

In the weeks leading up to winter vacation, what you're seeing may well be a case of the holiday season jitters. From November through January, children often become more fidgety, giggly, testy, and tired. There are many reasons: they may be distracted by the excitement of home activities, or they may be reacting to increased stress at home. At school, schedules are often disrupted at this time of year by assemblies, plays, and special events, and such changes in routine can throw children's behavior off. Plus, at many schools, recess is curtailed once winter weather arrives.

What can you do to help your students stay on track and learn at their best during this season? We've found that an extra measure of calmness, consistency, and structure can work wonders. Here are some strategies you might want to try.

Stick to Routines

As much as you can, stick to the routines that you've established to shape the school day. For instance, if a daily Morning Meeting is part of your routine, you may find it's even more helpful now. Starting off each day with Morning Meeting helps students make the transition to school through a welcoming experience that reinforces expectations for behavior and builds enthusiasm for the learning day ahead.

You can use each of the four components of Morning Meeting strategically to help get the school day off to a good start. For instance, choose a calm greeting (such as a simple "Hello" passed around the circle) to settle the group if they seem especially bouncy coming in the door. Or use seasonally-themed sharing topics to help students learn more about each other. Choose sharing questions that every student in your class can answer comfortably. For example, questions such as What do you especially love about winter? or Do you enjoy any special holiday foods? don't exclude children who don't have vacation plans or who don’t celebrate holidays at home.

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