The alarm bell rings. Your bag is packed. Your outfit is chosen. You are ready to rock. After a wonderful festive break you are well rested and feel like a superhero. Your pupils, however, may not share your enthusiasm.
The first day back after the winter break can be just as daunting and upsetting for some pupils as the first day of school. We have a few tips to help teachers ease their pupils (and themselves) back into the swing of things.
1. Don’t Overwhelm
Let’s be realistic. Your pupils probably did not have a structured daily routine over the winter break. They spent extra time with family and friends, spent extra time on the couch, had extra TV time, extra chocolates, extra cuddles and most definitely extra toys and gifts. There may have even been full days where they didn’t change out of their pjs and survived solely on boxes of chocolates. Returning to the school routine after this long break can be very difficult for your pupils. The most important thing is to not overwhelm them. The last thing they need is an in-depth maths worksheet. Start off with a quick win, an open-ended, pupil-led activity such as showing a photograph and asking your pupils to discuss what they see.
- Share Time
Ask you pupils to share one brief memory from their winter break. Yes, we know you are itching to get stuck into that amazing lesson plan you created over the break, but look at it from your pupils’ point of view. They have had so many experiences with close family, grannies, grandads, aunts, uncles and friends. At this stage they are just bursting with excitement to tell you every detail! So, allow them to share one special memory with the class. It’s important to acknowledge their little voices.
- Have Low Expectations
As mentioned above, the first day back to school after the winter break can be a little unsettling for some pupils. Children will be tired and maybe even a little teary. So, don’t expect too much from them. Keep little minds busy by asking for help with handing out materials and cleaning the board. An extra warm smile will go a long way too. Why not try something fun, such as ‘Toasting the New Year’ and use actual slices of toast!
4. Reboot and Review
Think of the first day back after the winter break as the first day of school again! Use it to reboot behaviour in your classroom or to try something completely new. Review your classroom policies and procedures. Involve your pupils and ask them to suggest any new rules that may be required. The first day back is critical in setting the tone for the rest of the school year.
5. Reward Yourself!
The first day back can be challenging for teachers too! We’re sure your pupils were not the only ones surviving on chocolates! When you’ve survived your first day back, give yourself something to look forward to, no matter how small; a bubble bath, a new book, that TV show on Netflix everyone’s talking about.
At Prim-Ed Publishing we know how hard teachers work, and we also know how difficult it can be to get back to work after the winter break. As a teacher your key message to your pupils is to ‘be kind to each other’, but don’t forget to be kind to yourself too. 🙂
Happy New Year!