The December Teaching Game Plan
December is the kind of thing that we can’t go into casually. It requires a lot of planning, thinking ahead, and prioritizing tasks. Just think of all of things coming around the corner in the next 4 weeks:
-Gifts that students will make for their families
-Gifts for your students, from you
-Special programs and assemblies
-Toy drives, food drives, and other special projects that require lots of extra emails and notes home
-Recording final grades
-Report cards
-Trying to keep things fun, even though the kids are *literally* going insane.
I believe, as always, in simplifying the things that stress us out in this career. (And we all know there is A LOT that can stress us out!) So, here’s my take on the December Teaching Game Plan:
1.) Map out the content. What skills do you need to cover this month? How can you make it seasonal? What fun stuff are you planning to do…and where will it fit? Let’s put the pieces of the puzzle together!
2.) Plan the gifts. There are sooo many gifts, and you’re overseeing at least the gifts that dozens of tiny people will be making for their families. Plus, gifts you’re giving to everyone else you work with. Make a list and check it twice!
3.) Make a ‘low energy’ list. There will be moments where you have some time to kill between special events, and you don’t have it in you to teach or do a formal lesson of any kind. What filler activities can you have on deck that will engage, yet manage, your class?
4.) Have a back-from-break plan. There is nothing worse than having that nagging feeling in the back of your head during a break. You know the one. The guilt that you have things you need to be doing, but you also feel too tired to do them. You want to enjoy your time off, but you don’t want to be scrambling and stressed when you go back to work. Let’s figure out the first week (or two) of January before you leave, so you can spend your time on what matters!
Does any of this sound like something you need? Sign up below to get in on the December Teaching Game Plan email series! 4 emails are going out this month, all about these 4 steps!
