5 Tips to Prevent Teacher End-of-the-Year Slump
The end is near! School is almost over for the year but the kids are going stir crazy…can you feel it? That feeling is the infamous end of the year slump that teachers feel during the last few weeks of school. It is characterized by wanting to do less and less planning and preparation and general dealing with students and instead, desire to stay home and read or catch up on your favorite shows or books.Combat the end of the year slump!
But seriously, the end of the year slump is real for teachers. Some days it is really hard to stay motivated to be the best teacher you can be for your students and to finish the year strong. You don’t have to struggle on your own, though! I have compiled a list of 5 things you can do for yourself to help combat the teacher end-of-the-year slump!1. Start the day focused. Focus on yourself!
To have a good day at school, it is helpful to center your mind and focus on yourself for a few minutes. There are a few ways to do this. One easy way to focus on yourself, and not begin your day worrying about class and students, is to create a playlist to listen to in your car. Pump yourself up with your favorite tunes or music that will focus your energy. Another suggestion for focusing on yourself is to treat yourself to a special coffee or tea before school. Especially these last few weeks of school, take a few extra minutes to drive through your favorite coffee shop and start your day with your favorite wake-up beverage! Don’t forget to force yourself to smile as soon as you wake up, it sets the tone for the day!2. Surround yourself with positive people.
I know this one is easier said than done. We can’t always control who is around us, especially at school. However, you can control your attitude and, to an extent, how much you interact with positive people versus negative people. Try to focus your energy on people who make you laugh, smile, and make you feel happy. Try to steer clear of people or co-workers who stress you out or make you angry or sad.3. Break out of the norm.
Try something new instead of doing the same old thing and following the same routine every day. These last few weeks of school can definitely feel like you’re in a rut, and you probably are! You have been doing the same things for the past nine months to get through school every day. Change up your routine. Drive home a different, longer way, so you have a few minutes extra to yourself in the car (to listen to your focused playlist!). Take a walk when you get home to decompress. Buy new clothes to have something new and exciting to wear instead of the same old wardrobe you’ve had all year. It doesn’t really matter what you do to break out of the norm as long as you do something that changes your routine of boredom.
4. Find a motivational partner.
Find someone at work, home, the gym, the library, book club, or church to become a motivational partner. A motivational partner is there to text or call you and encourage you, and you can reciprocate. Sometimes we need a little extra encouragement. Some days we need a lot of encouragement, and the end-of-the-year teacher slump might just be one of those times. People need people, and it’s good to have a positive relationship in your life as a teacher.5. Lessen stress and maximize summer rest!
Start packing, cleaning, and tidying your classroom for summer early. I’m not sure that there is ever too early of a time to start this process. This can be a year-round goal, not just for the end of the year. However, it is very important for the end of the year. The sooner your classroom is packed up, the sooner you can go home for the summer and not look back for a month or two. Organize all your materials for the units you will repeat for next year, so you simply have to unpack them and set them out for next year. Put things in places where you will easily find them, so you don’t have to spend a lot of time packing or unpacking for the next school year. Don’t forget to label your boxes!The teacher end-of-the-year slump is real!
While you will probably experience some form of the teacher end-of-the-year slump, there are things you can do to combat it. Stay focused on yourself, surround yourself with positive people, break out of the rut that is your normal routine, find a motivational partner, and lessen your stress by organizing yourself for next year. All of these suggestions will help you be more relaxed going into the last few weeks of school and maximize your relaxation time for the summer. You don’t have to be a Pinterest teacher to experience the slump, it happens to all of us. Know that you are not alone!The end-of-the-year slump for students is real too!
You’ve felt the end of year slump, so know that your students experience it too. Provide meaningful ways to engage your students that are “outside the box.” Try a teambuilding activity and let the students work with their friends. This End of Year Digital Escape Room is sure to keep their brains occupied, putting your mind at ease. The DIGITAL Escape Room is a winning combination of puzzles, codes and ciphers! An engaging NO-PREP digital activity with a twist of FUN that provides the perfect team-building or critical thinking activity for those last few weeks of school. Wanna know the best part? It’s SELF-CHECKING! There’s no grading involved, making your #teacherlife easier.This activity can be used in ANY SUBJECT area and was solely created to kick back, unwind, and have fun. Want to know how I survive the last few months of school? Find out HERE!Did I miss something that helps you overcome the teacher end-of-the-year slump? Comment below and let me know what you have found to help you and your students!
