Winter break is always a much-needed pause… but coming back in January? That’s a different story.

The first week back often feels off. Reading groups that were working in December suddenly aren’t. Students feel rusty, distracted, or somehow very different than they were just a few weeks ago. And as teachers, we’re left wondering:

Do I need to completely redo my reading groups? Reassess everyone? Start over from scratch?

The good news: you don’t.

Over the years, I’ve learned that January isn’t about starting over. It’s about resetting with intention. Here’s exactly how I reset my reading groups after winter break without creating extra work for myself.

Why Reading Groups Feel So Messy After Winter Break

If your reading block feels chaotic in January, it’s not a failure…it’s normal.

A few things are usually happening:

Students are out of routine
Stamina has dipped
Reading behaviors need refreshing
Growth has happened (but unevenly)

Instead of browsing TIkTok and talking yourself into re-doing your entire routine, because it’s working for some other teacher somewhere…save yourself the stress and tweak what already was working for you in the first semester.

Step 1: I Reassess — But I Keep It Quick

January reassessments should give you just enough information without overwhelming you or wearing out your students.

I’m not pulling out every benchmark or administering long tests. Instead, I focus on:

Listening to students read aloud
Noticing decoding patterns
Watching comprehension during discussions
Reviewing recent reading work samples
Revisiting data from December

What I’m trying to determine as quickly as possible is:

Who needs more support
Who is ready to move forward
Which groups are no longer a good fit

The key here is observation over paperwork. But, if you need some formal assessment on some (or all) of your students, my assessment pack is perfect for the mid-year point!

Step 2: I Regroup Strategically (Not Perfectly)

Once I have a clearer picture, I make small, intentional shifts.

That might mean:

Moving a few students to a different group
Splitting one group into two
Combining two groups with similar needs
Adjusting the focus of a group instead of the members

Often times, it’s not that the entire schedule, routine, or grouping needs to start over. I usually find that one or two small tweaks makes the entire room feel more settled.

Step 3: I Keep My Reading Block Structure the Same

This is where a lot of teachers accidentally make January harder than it needs to be.

When reading groups feel off, it’s tempting to:

Change rotations
Introduce new centers
Try a brand-new schedule

I don’t do that.

Instead, I keep:

The same rotation structure
The same expectations
The same routines students already know

Why? Because students need familiarity in January. When the structure stays the same, they can focus their energy on learning and re-adjusting to your expectations.

Step 4: I Reset Expectations (Explicitly)

Even strong readers need reminders after a long break.

During the first week back, I take time to:

Revisit center behavior expectations
Model what focused reading looks like
Practice partner talk and discussion routines
Re-teach how to respond to text thoughtfully

You don’t need a whole week of lessons like you did in August. Just take a few minutes, a few days in a row, to remind students of what you are looking for.

Step 5: I Use Low-Pressure Reading Activities While Groups Settle

One of my favorite January strategies is using low-pressure, high-structure reading tasks during the reset period.

These give students:

A chance to ease back into reading
Practice with comprehension skills
Success without frustration

And they give me:

Time to observe
Space to regroup
Fewer interruptions during small groups

Grab My Free Winter Reading Printables

If you’re looking for easy reading activities to use while you reset your groups, I’ve put together a FREE Winter Printables Pack just for this time of year.

These printables are:

Perfect for independent reading work
Simple enough for January focus levels
Helpful for whole-group, small-group, or centers
Great for keeping your reading block calm and productive

Download the FREE Winter Printables Pack here

How To Reset Reading Groups After Winter Break (FREEBIE INSIDE)