Cultivating a Peaceful Classroom Before Winter Break

One thing I’ve learned as a middle school teacher is that my classes, like life, are like a box of chocolates. Some periods are filled with sweetness, while others can be a whole lot nuttier. During the holidays, especially for that special time between Thanksgiving and winter holiday break, this is particularly true.

The simple fact every teacher knows is that kids during this time are a little wound up. You can’t blame them, and frankly you can’t always join them—you’ve got lessons and units to get through. As a longtime teacher, I’ve got a few tricks that work wonders to keep the classroom peaceful and me smiling. They keep us flowing through material and keep kids learning. They also keep me feeling successful, and that’s as good a gift as, well, a box of chocolates.

Calm Entry, Calm Lesson

I don’t know about you, but for me, a typical classroom period in December often looks like the rush for TVs on black Friday. That’s why students in my English Language Arts class enter to a soundtrack that I’ve already been playing for weeks. I like to choose calm music, adjusted at just the right volume. When students enter, they hear the familiar music, and they know that the normal thing to do, however excited they feel, is to take their independent readers out and enjoy a few pages.

I find that my sixth graders often do this long before the passing period bell even rings. By the time my 10-minute timer is through, students are calm, and I’ve taken attendance. During the time they’re reading, I can see who needs a new book and who’s struggling in a current one, and I can check in with kids who are looking glum.

Whatever you teach, you can do something similar. Math teachers might put up a fun challenge problem of the day. Science teachers might post an inquiry question related to the lesson; art teachers might ask students about a famous work of art or to try on a new technique in a notepad.

Extending Time for Transitions

Another great technique I love with secondary students is to meet them halfway on transitions. As a longtime elementary teacher, I’m a stickler for fast transitions—sit on the rug, 1 minute; get materials out, 30 seconds. But at this time of year, few middle school students are feeling it the same way I am. So, I make a deal. When the class is a bit talkative and/or a little less interested in getting going, I offer them a two- or three-minute transition break, instead of the immediate one I normally expect.

During that time, I make it clear that they can talk, giggle, or check in with a bestie. They can even stretch, dance, or do a jumping jack so long as no one is hurt and nothing breaks. When the time is over, and for my benefit, my students pledge to be ready for what I’ve got next. This sometimes takes a bit of trial-and-error, but eventually we settle into a deal that works for all of us. I find that we really don’t lose more than a minute or two that I’d probably lose anyway. By doing this, we’ve established trust. Kids at this time of year want you to understand how they feel. You want them to get as much learning in as possible. Meet them in the middle. 

Maintain Clear Accountability

As a famous economist once said, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” Veteran teachers make sure students know that if they want to do the fun stuff, they’ve gotta do the hard stuff. However you describe it to your class, the key is to keep the payoff clear and the accountability transparent. That’s never more important than in December.

In my English class, I do this by keeping a list of products that students need to have in a portfolio before our end-of-year party. I call it their “ticket.” In addition to helping me inspire stamina and accountability, this allows me to role-play a far more understanding person as I check in with students during work time. Instead of “Hey, why aren’t you working today?” I ask, “How’s the progress going to make it to the holiday party? I don’t want you to miss any of the fun.”

This may seem all too familiar to you, and if so, you most likely have kids working well, learning tons during this time of year. If it isn’t, I recommend that you follow some effective guidelines.

1. Make the payoff clear and make it connected to assignments and projects that students are expected to complete.
2. Give an early checklist of some kind to the class, so that they know exactly what is expected and when.
3. Use check-in language—without negative criticism—with students that lets them know you want them to succeed.
4. Adjust or reduce work for students with individualized education programs, or multilingual learners. Differentiation for students is a year-round consideration and practice, but in December it’s essential to keep all students focused on achievable goals. I sometimes have students going through tough patches at home, and I adjust their assignments as well.

When it comes to the big payoff, be fair to both yourself and the students. I often allow students to continue working with a paraeducator, enjoying the atmosphere and music, yet understanding that their grade is too important to me for them not to spend our last day trying to keep their scores up.

Connecting Everything to Desired Outcomes

For me, the gold standard of this time is to connect everything we do to the big payoff, what kids think of as the “party.” It has looked different over the years, depending on what I’ve taught. As a history teacher, I prepared a set of rotation stations where kids could write their names in clay in cuneiform, prepare an Egyptian scroll in hieroglyphics, then move on to taste some Meso-American corn tortillas. In English, students hold a publishing party and invite friends and family to hear published stories.

However you celebrate your last day, if you can, connect the moment to the work you are doing as a big payout that students can take pride in. Maybe it’s a group presentation, maybe it’s an art gallery. Making that final day of celebration connected to the hard work that students accomplished during December won’t just make them feel good in winter. It will give them an ideal to work toward after they return in January.

That will make for a very happy new year for you, once you return too.