Latest / Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies / 237. Do These 3 Things Before Winter Break to Make January Easier

Transcript

237. Do These 3 Things Before Winter Break to Make January Easier · Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies

• 0:01
  Heidi: This is episode 237 of Teacher Approved.
• 0:06
  You're listening to Teacher Approved, the podcast helping
• 0:09
  educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I'm
• 0:12
  Heidi.
• 0:13
  Emily: And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
• 0:16
  Window, where we give research based and teacher approved
• 0:19
  strategies that make teaching less stressful and more
• 0:22
  effective. You can check out the show notes and resources from
• 0:25
  each episode at secondstorywindow.net.
• 0:28
  Heidi: We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
• 0:31
  the show.
• 0:35
  Emily: Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
• 0:38
  episode, we are talking about how to make January something
• 0:41
  you actually look forward to, yes, really, and sharing a
• 0:44
  teacher approved tip for prepping your room before the
• 0:47
  long winter break.
• 0:48
  Heidi: But first, let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we
• 0:51
  share a quick win that you can try in your classroom right
• 0:54
  away. So Emily, what is our suggestion for this week?
• 0:56
  Emily: This week, as you're wrapping up this year and
• 0:59
  looking ahead to the new one, choose a one word theme for
• 1:01
  yourself, just one word that captures what you want to focus
• 1:05
  on or how you want to feel as you start the new year. So maybe
• 1:09
  that's steady or grace or joy or ease. Write that on a sticky
• 1:13
  note and put it somewhere where you will see it every day, maybe
• 1:16
  on your bathroom mirror or your desk, or you can even set it as
• 1:21
  your phone lock screen. When January feels overwhelming, that
• 1:24
  one word can remind you what matters most.
• 1:26
  Heidi: We talked about choosing a one word theme back in episode
• 1:30
  27, my gosh, it's been so long. But it is such a simple practice
• 1:35
  that makes a real difference for how you approach your January
• 1:38
  fresh start.
• 1:39
  Emily: And if you like this try it tomorrow, or anything else we
• 1:42
  share here on the podcast, we would appreciate it so much if
• 1:45
  you took a second and gave us a five star rating and review.
• 1:50
  Heidi: If you are hearing this before winter break, there's a
• 1:52
  good chance that your energy tank is running low. You're
• 1:57
  maybe even running on fumes at this point.
• 2:00
  Emily: Yeah, you've given your students, your classroom and
• 2:02
  your family so much already. So today we want to help you give a
• 2:06
  little something to future you.
• 2:08
  Heidi: Yes, we want to help you step into the new year with calm
• 2:13
  and confidence, because coming back after winter break is so
• 2:16
  rough. The holidays are over, the days are short, and the
• 2:19
  classroom is just full of sniffles, but we can make that
• 2:23
  transition easier, maybe even joyful, with a few intentional
• 2:29
  choices right now.
• 2:31
  Emily: So we're sharing three simple ways to set up a January
• 2:34
  that feels calm and confident. You've prepped, planned and
• 2:38
  rested. Now it's time to launch, but gently.
• 2:41
  Heidi: Yes, gently is the key. So let's start with the first
• 2:46
  way to beat the post break blues, and that's to give
• 2:49
  yourself something to anticipate, because when you
• 2:52
  have something to look forward to, those first days back feel
• 2:55
  less like a slog and more like a fresh start.
• 2:58
  Emily: And don't underestimate the power of this, and we did
• 3:02
  talk about it back in episode 40, but it's worth revisiting
• 3:05
  now, because it's so effective. When you have something exciting
• 3:08
  on the horizon, it changes how you feel about going back.
• 3:12
  Heidi: Yeah, you can think of this in two ways, short term and
• 3:14
  long term. Start with short term anticipation and plan something
• 3:18
  in your classroom that you are genuinely excited about.
• 3:22
  Emily: Yeah, that's the key though. It has to be something
• 3:24
  you are excited about. Maybe it's a unit you love to teach, a
• 3:28
  science experiment that always sparks curiosity, or a read
• 3:31
  aloud that you love to read.
• 3:33
  Heidi: Oh, yes, this is so important. One year I was
• 3:35
  dreading going back so much that I went and I made myself a
• 3:40
  calendar of all of those, like silly days that they have every
• 3:45
  day of the week, like, you know, this day is snowman day and this
• 3:48
  day is penguin day, you know, all of those, like that.
• 3:51
  Emily: Uh-huh.
• 3:51
  Heidi: So I made myself a calendar, and then each day, I
• 3:53
  picked a little fun activity to do that day. So it might be
• 3:59
  something I did with my students, it might be something
• 4:02
  I did with friends. It might be something that I just did
• 4:02
  myself. For snowman day, I bought powdered donut holes,
• 4:03
  like a big batch of them, and I used, I don't even know what I
• 4:06
  use, like chocolate chips, and I think those candy coated
• 4:11
  sunflower seeds, orange ones to make a snowman face.
• 4:14
  Emily: Oh yeah.
• 4:14
  Heidi: And I brought him in and left him in the work room. Just,
• 4:17
  it was just a little project, a little creativity, something to
• 4:20
  push me out of the blues. And also, I think maybe it helped
• 4:23
  everyone else around me have a little happier January too. And
• 4:26
  it really did make such a difference in how I felt that
• 4:29
  month.
• 4:30
  Emily: I love that. And excitement is contagious. When
• 4:33
  you're excited about something, your students will feel that
• 4:36
  energy too, and it makes coming back easier for everyone.
• 4:40
  Heidi: Just, you know, keep it simple. Think small, meaningful
• 4:43
  sparks. Maybe you plan a cozy, comfy Friday where everyone
• 4:48
  brings blankets and stuffed animals for read aloud time. Or
• 4:48
  you do a week long wonder challenge where students bring
• 4:52
  in questions that they're curious about.
• 4:56
  Emily: Oh, I love that. You could add a new component to
• 4:58
  morning meeting, like a daily moment of gratitude, or start a
• 5:02
  good thing jar where everyone can share the good things they
• 5:05
  notice.
• 5:06
  Heidi: Now, if you are someone who thrives on going big, maybe
• 5:09
  you love a themed room makeover or launching immersive units, so
• 5:14
  lean into that. Yes, it is going to be a lot of work, but if it's
• 5:17
  something that you enjoy, then the work is part of the fun.
• 5:21
  Emily: The point is to think about what lights you up as a
• 5:23
  teacher, what makes you excited to be in your classroom. That's
• 5:26
  going to be different for every teacher, but find a way to
• 5:29
  incorporate more of that in the near future.
• 5:32
  Heidi: And don't feel like this has to happen on day one. You
• 5:35
  might plan something special for the second week back, or even a
• 5:39
  Friday celebration to mark making it through that first
• 5:41
  week.
• 5:42
  Emily: Exactly. And then, once you've planned a fun little
• 5:45
  treat, add a long term anticipation, something outside
• 5:49
  of school that gives you a bright spot on the horizon. That
• 5:52
  could be fun weekend plans, a dinner with friends, or even
• 5:57
  dreaming about your spring break trip.
• 5:59
  Heidi: This really does make such a difference. Having
• 6:02
  something joyful to look forward to keeps you moving through the
• 6:06
  darker weeks with hope and energy. It's a little bit like
• 6:09
  having a light at the end of the tunnel.
• 6:10
  Emily: This is kind of like your January Joy list. Before you
• 6:14
  leave for break, jot down two or three things. Remember, one
• 6:17
  classroom, one personal, maybe one just for fun. There's a page
• 6:21
  for this in the December teacher survival kit, of course, but you
• 6:24
  could easily write it in your planner, put it on a sticky
• 6:27
  note, or even set a reminder in your phone that pops up on your
• 6:30
  first day back.
• 6:31
  Heidi: And keep in mind that planning something fun for your
• 6:34
  students is helping them too. They are feeling that post
• 6:37
  holiday slump just as much as you are.
• 6:40
  Emily: And planning fun things for them is also fun for you, I
• 6:44
  feel like I get excited knowing the kids are going to be
• 6:47
  excited.
• 6:47
  Heidi: Yes, totally.
• 6:48
  Emily: And a little spark of joy helps everyone ease back into
• 6:52
  community. So we talked about this as the student engagement
• 6:56
  hook in episode 233, it's one fun, low prep activity that
• 7:00
  makes the first week back engaging. This idea is to give
• 7:04
  kids a sense of a new beginning.
• 7:06
  Heidi: Yeah, you know, all the spark is over and it's just
• 7:09
  regular school now, but if you have got something engaging
• 7:12
  planned, the energy totally shifts. We talked about this in
• 7:17
  the last episode, so if you need some new ideas, go check that
• 7:18
  out. But this could be a new year's goal project, a time
• 7:21
  capsule, class challenge, or having kids make their own
• 7:24
  vision boards.
• 7:25
  Emily: Remember, just keep it low prep for you and high
• 7:27
  interest for them.
• 7:29
  Heidi: And then our second idea for January is one of our all
• 7:32
  time favorites, and it is to do yourself a favor.
• 7:37
  Emily: I love this concept because it works so well for me,
• 7:40
  so, and maybe it doesn't work that well for everyone, but I
• 7:42
  imagine some of you are like us, so think of it as a gift from
• 7:46
  past you to future you. Ask yourself what you can do now
• 7:49
  before break that will make January You breathe a sigh of
• 7:52
  relief.
• 7:53
  Heidi: Yeah, this could be leaving your desk clean and your
• 7:56
  classroom tidy. That would be such a huge gift. You know,
• 7:59
  walking into a cluttered space in January, when you're already
• 8:02
  feeling the weight of going back, it's just not fun.
• 8:05
  Emily: I remember seeing a post from Sam at Engineer Does
• 8:07
  Education where she was showing the state of her classroom at
• 8:10
  the end of the first week of school. Her plan was to tidy
• 8:13
  everything before she left, because that's not how Friday
• 8:16
  Sam is going to treat Monday Sam.
• 8:19
  Heidi: I love that so much. It's like being your own friend,
• 8:23
  because when you are exhausted after a month of the festive
• 8:26
  disruptions, you just want to walk out the door and deal with
• 8:28
  it all later, but really rally if you can, and find at least
• 8:33
  one thing you can do to reset your room. And then when you
• 8:36
  walk back in after the break, it'll be like getting a little
• 8:38
  hug from your past self.
• 8:40
  Emily: You could look out for your future self by prepping
• 8:42
  your first day back slides or making your copies. Having those
• 8:46
  ready to go means you won't be scrambling on that first morning
• 8:48
  back.
• 8:49
  Heidi: Just remember to put all of the stuff you prep in your
• 8:52
  January ready bin so you know exactly where you kept it.
• 8:54
  Emily: Yes.
• 8:56
  Heidi: You could also think about restocking your favorite
• 8:58
  pens or snacks, tucking a special chocolate bar your desk
• 9:01
  drawer, or, you know, on a healthier note, staffing some
• 9:04
  protein bars in a cabinet, or making sure that you have the
• 9:08
  pens that you actually like to write with.
• 9:09
  Emily: You could even write a sticky note to yourself with
• 9:12
  reminders or encouragement, something like you've got this,
• 9:15
  or remember to take attendance.
• 9:17
  Heidi: We're not trying to add to a massive to do list when
• 9:20
  you're already going to be exhausted, just pick one or two
• 9:23
  small things that will make the biggest difference to you. Even
• 9:27
  if all you can do is change over your classroom calendar and
• 9:30
  write Welcome Back on your whiteboard, that totally counts.
• 9:33
  Emily: And then when you unlock your classroom in January, it
• 9:35
  will feel calm and ready and welcoming, and you'll be so glad
• 9:38
  you took those extra five minutes in December.
• 9:40
  Alright, finally, let's talk about planning a soft start for
• 9:45
  your return.
• 9:46
  Heidi: January doesn't have to be a big shock to the system.
• 9:49
  You can make it gentle by easing back into your routines and
• 9:52
  giving yourself permission to prioritize rest.
• 9:55
  Emily: And we talked about this concept in episodes 209 and 217,
• 9:59
  the idea of creating a soft landing for yourself. Before you
• 10:02
  leave for break, plan for that soft landing. Start by
• 10:05
  automating decisions.
• 10:07
  Heidi: Yeah, do what you can to simplify things. Pick out your
• 10:10
  first week of school outfits or lunches. When you are already
• 10:13
  tired and adjusting to the alarm again, the last thing you want
• 10:16
  to do is stand in front of your closet wondering what you're
• 10:19
  going to wear.
• 10:20
  Emily: Or stare into your fridge trying to figure out what to
• 10:23
  pack for lunch. Make those decisions now, while you have
• 10:27
  the mental energy.
• 10:28
  Heidi: Yeah, like you really could get ahead of this, lay out
• 10:31
  your outfits, take photos on your phone, or, you know, just
• 10:34
  make a list, whatever works for you.
• 10:37
  Emily: And maybe you want to stock up on comfort foods you
• 10:39
  love for that first week, like soup, tacos, breakfast for
• 10:42
  dinner nights, or whatever makes you feel cozy and cared for.
• 10:45
  Heidi: Yeah. This isn't the week to go big or complicated. This
• 10:49
  is the week for easy, nourishing meals that don't require much
• 10:52
  thought. I think the lazy genius calls this planning your hot
• 10:55
  dogs. Like, just make it simple.
• 10:58
  Emily: Let real life take second priority for a few days while
• 11:01
  you readjust. It's totally okay. The start of the school year is
• 11:05
  just a season. It's not your whole life. It's the same thing
• 11:07
  in January. Give yourself permission to lower the bar at
• 11:11
  home.
• 11:12
  Heidi: You know, it's all right. Maybe your kids get some extra
• 11:14
  screen time that week. Maybe you're going to order takeout
• 11:16
  more than you normally would, or you're going to skip grocery
• 11:19
  shopping and just eat what's in the freezer.
• 11:21
  Emily: You could prep a small January comfort kit and put a
• 11:25
  stash of tea, snacks, cozy socks, lotion or anything that
• 11:29
  makes you feel cared for.
• 11:31
  Heidi: Well, you know, that's one of my favorite ideas. And
• 11:34
  when you walk back into real life and everything feels a
• 11:36
  little heavier, those small comforts remind you that you can
• 11:40
  handle this. Someone cares about you, and that someone is you.
• 11:44
  Emily: We've talked before about creating a recovery kit back in
• 11:47
  episode 209, and the same principle applies here. Set
• 11:49
  yourself up with the things that help you recharge.
• 11:52
  Heidi: These could be things that you have at school or
• 11:55
  things that you have at home to help you focus on recovery after
• 11:58
  a long day. Maybe for you, it's having a cozy movie queued up, a
• 12:02
  book you're excited to read, or even just making sure your
• 12:04
  bedroom feels like a peaceful retreat.
• 12:07
  Emily: Or maybe it's having something to keep your kids
• 12:09
  occupied so that you can crash on the couch for 20 minutes. The
• 12:14
  goal is to make that transition back as gentle as possible.
• 12:17
  Heidi: Yeah, don't expect to hit the ground running at full
• 12:19
  speed. Just give yourself some grace.
• 12:22
  Emily: So as you wrap up for winter break, remember these
• 12:25
  three small but powerful ways to create anticipation for the new
• 12:28
  year. First, give yourself something to look forward to,
• 12:31
  both short and long term. Plan something in your classroom that
• 12:34
  excites you.
• 12:35
  Heidi: Second, do yourself a favor and set future you up for
• 12:39
  success. Clean your desk, make your copies, restock your
• 12:42
  snacks, whatever will make January You smile.
• 12:46
  Emily: And third, plan a soft start and ease back into January
• 12:49
  with grace.
• 12:50
  Heidi: You've already done so much to prepare for learning,
• 12:53
  but these last few touches are how you can also make space for
• 12:56
  comfort and calm when you return.
• 12:59
  Emily: What's one small thing that you can do before you leave
• 13:01
  for break to make it feel calm and maybe even a little magical
• 13:04
  when you return?
• 13:06
  Heidi: We would love to hear what you're doing to create your
• 13:08
  own soft start for January. Come share in our Teacher Approved
• 13:11
  Facebook group.
• 13:13
  Emily: Now for our Teacher Approved Tip of the Week, where
• 13:15
  we share an actionable tip to help you elevate what matters
• 13:19
  and simplify the rest. And this one is all about prepping your
• 13:22
  room before you leave for the break. Take it away, Heidi.
• 13:25
  Heidi: Well, this is one of those things that seems obvious
• 13:29
  until you forget to do it, and then you come back to some
• 13:32
  unpleasant surprises. So make a list of everything you need to
• 13:37
  do to secure your room before you leave. Start with the
• 13:40
  basics. Shut down all the electronics and unplug them so
• 13:43
  that you're not wasting electricity. Make sure anything
• 13:45
  valuable is locked up. Empty your trashes, if the custodians
• 13:49
  are not going to be around to do it right away.
• 13:51
  Emily: And please clear out any food that might spoil or tempt
• 13:55
  rodents to visit. You do not want to come back to that
• 13:58
  situation. So check your desk drawers, your cabinets, anywhere
• 14:02
  students might have stashed snacks or left a lunchbox. Look
• 14:07
  for water bottles that might have been left behind. Make sure
• 14:10
  there's nothing that's gonna grow mold or attract unwanted
• 14:13
  guests while you're gone.
• 14:14
  Heidi: But here's something you might not have thought about.
• 14:17
  You also might want to hide any contraband. It's really common
• 14:22
  in some places for the fire marshal to use winter break to
• 14:25
  visit the school, or maybe your administrators are going to stop
• 14:28
  by in your room when you're gone.
• 14:29
  Emily: And that's when you might get dinged on things that
• 14:31
  normally fly under the radar.
• 14:34
  Heidi: Oh yeah, you know, things like the coffee maker microwave
• 14:36
  or a little fridge. Might just want to pack all that up and
• 14:39
  take it home for the break.
• 14:41
  Emily: Sometimes twinkle lights might not be allowed, or a decor
• 14:45
  hanging from the ceiling. If you're not sure what's okay and
• 14:48
  what's not, talk to a teacher who's been at your school for a
• 14:50
  while, and they can give you the inside scoop.
• 14:52
  Heidi: Yeah, this is so hard because you never know what's
• 14:54
  gonna catch their eye. And in my experience, it seems largely
• 14:58
  arbitrary, because some things are fine one year, like hanging
• 15:01
  stuff from the ceiling is totally fine, and then the next
• 15:04
  year, they freak out, but then the next year is fine. Again,
• 15:06
  you just can't keep up.
• 15:08
  Emily: Yeah. In episode 233 we recommended starting a list of
• 15:12
  the tasks needed to close up your room for a few weeks. So if
• 15:15
  you did do that, pull that out now.
• 15:17
  Heidi: But if you didn't make one, then take five minutes and
• 15:20
  get it going now.
• 15:22
  Emily: And surprise, we can help you with that. There's a sheet
• 15:25
  for this in our December teacher survival kit, and it includes 35
• 15:29
  suggested tasks to get your wheels turning, everything from
• 15:32
  recycling papers to unplugging devices.
• 15:34
  Heidi: Yeah, because you don't want to be the one who starts
• 15:37
  the building on fire, like my junior high social studies
• 15:40
  teacher did with his plugged in hot plate that he left on.
• 15:44
  To wrap the show, we are sharing what we're giving extra credit
• 15:47
  to this week. Emily, what are you giving extra credit to?
• 15:50
  Emily: Okay, I'm giving extra credit to Tiktok Shop.
• 15:53
  Heidi: Okay, I don't know what this is.
• 15:55
  Emily: Okay. So you can shop on Tiktok, which I did not know
• 16:00
  until somebody had, like, come across some great deal and was
• 16:02
  like, you gotta, you have to buy it on Tiktok shop, though,
• 16:05
  that's where the deal is. And it's annoying because they're
• 16:07
  constantly doing these, like, if you open Tiktok and you go to
• 16:11
  shop, there will be sudden, like, promotions for you when
• 16:14
  you open it, of like, save, you know, this amount on this amount
• 16:18
  in the next 30 minutes, or whatever. So that is annoying,
• 16:20
  because you never know what you're going to get. But I have
• 16:24
  got some great deals over there. And I found if you have
• 16:28
  something you're interested in, I've started just checking to
• 16:30
  see if it's on Tiktok shop first, because sometimes it's
• 16:33
  cheaper there, surprisingly. They almost always seem to have
• 16:37
  free shipping. And if you just stick it in your cart, when you
• 16:40
  come back later, you're more likely I found, now this is not
• 16:43
  scientific, but I have found that you have a coupon for it if
• 16:48
  you leave it in there.
• 16:49
  Heidi: Interesting.
• 16:50
  Emily: So that has been a secret weapon for holiday shopping is
• 16:54
  I, as I'm looking for something, I check Tiktok Shop first. Also
• 16:57
  that is where I was able to find Labubus for my 10 year old, is
• 17:02
  through the official, they have to be the official Pop Mart or
• 17:06
  Pop Mart US. I think it's like Pop Mart Local and Pop Mart US,
• 17:11
  with like the official check mark. And those are legit, and
• 17:14
  they come fast, and they're not marked up at all. That's the
• 17:17
  best price I've seen anywhere on them, is there. So if you are
• 17:21
  also on the hunt for Labubus, it's getting a little late, but
• 17:24
  it shipped fast, in my experience. So if you're still
• 17:27
  on the hunt, check out Tiktok Shop.
• 17:29
  Heidi: Yeah, that's a great tip. I had no idea.
• 17:31
  Emily: What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi?
• 17:33
  Heidi: Well, my extra credit goes to the book Adventures with
• 17:36
  Friends, a collection of RPG one shots. So this is a whole new
• 17:40
  world to me. Emily's oldest daughter has been playing
• 17:42
  Dungeons and Dragons this year, and someone was looking for a
• 17:46
  gift idea for her. I came across this book that is perfect for a
• 17:49
  teenage girl, or really, anyone who likes cuteness. So it's got
• 17:53
  four different adventures in it, and then each one comes with the
• 17:56
  details for how to run that game. But the exciting part is
• 18:00
  that each of those adventures has little paper crafts that you
• 18:02
  can cut out and assemble.
• 18:03
  Emily: Yeah, cute.
• 18:04
  Heidi: Like for the Fey Fayre, there are a bunch of little
• 18:07
  stalls that you can set up that your players can go and visit as
• 18:09
  part of their role playing adventure. I am not doing this
• 18:13
  book justice. It is packed with so many fun details, and I think
• 18:17
  it is a great price. I think it's like 20 bucks, and it is
• 18:19
  huge. It is really thick.
• 18:21
  Emily: Oh.
• 18:21
  Heidi: So there's a link in the show notes if you want to check
• 18:23
  it out for any of the TTRPG players in your life.
• 18:27
  Emily: Well, she's gonna love that.
• 18:30
  Heidi: I hope so. It's way cute.
• 18:31
  Thanks so much for joining us today. We hope these ideas help
• 18:35
  you create a January that feels a little more joyful and a lot
• 18:38
  less overwhelming.
• 18:40
  Emily: And remember you don't have to do all of these things.
• 18:42
  The goal is just to make coming back easier, not to add any more
• 18:45
  to your already full plate.
• 18:48
  Heidi: We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm
• 18:52
  Heidi.
• 18:52
  Emily: And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
• 18:56
  or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an
• 18:58
  episode.
• 18:58
  Heidi: You can connect with us and other teachers in the
• 19:01
  Teacher Approved Facebook group. We'll see you here next week.
• 19:05
  Bye for now.
• 19:05
  Emily: Bye.