Are your students loosing focus? Are they acting like they were at the beginning of the year? Have they began to act out or become unmotivated or care? What's a teacher to do?
In order to have a smooth exit to the year, it is important that during this time of year teachers take the time to remember that they need to revisit expectations and continue with morning meetings. The students need consistency so don't let up. Now, I am not saying bombard them with work, especially busy work. I am saying use activities that will grab their attention but still address learning targets.
The first thing to do is to make sure to have not only morning meetings but classroom meetings. I have three rotations, a homeroom/Social Studies and two LA/Reading rotations. I started revisiting our school pillars, one a week with my homeroom students. The students are creating posters that represent what they do and don't look like. They are coming up with statements as well. There job is to tell me one way they plan to show that pillar, and to evaluate themselves at the end of the day. What are you doing to ensure students comply.
In my rotation stations we revisit the contract posters we created at the beginning of the year as to the expectations for Reading and Writing workshop to be able to take place efficiently and effectively. I remind them of the Non-Negotiables established at the beginning of the year. I make sure to address every infraction that is major, and ignore the ones that are petty even if they are becoming annoying. You will have those students that will do things just to get under your skin. That is where you refer to some of your favorite PD for classroom management strategies. I posted a few below. I do make sure to stop when behaviors are off and problem solve and come up with solutions to the issues. I don't want kids to think that it is okay for some behaviors and not others. I just don't harp on them as a whole class. I pull those students quietly and use some of the strategies from Power Struggles. If you don't have this book. I highly recommend it.
What are you doing? Do you need ideas and support? Check out these two resources, they are sitting on my desk now and when issues arise I refer to them. Great tools for all teachers especially new teachers.
Other things that I have found that works at the end of the year as a reminder to students of their jobs is number one practice academies. If students aren't doing what is expected, I reteach and model expectations, have them practice it until it becomes a habit again. The main thing is to not let the end of the year or the fact that testing is over to justify students lack of effort or behavioral changes. A second thing is rewards, give out reward coupons, use your treasure chest, Here are a few rewards I use. You will find them in my store. Hit the link on the sidebar and it will take you there to check them out along with other resources for the classroom.
When All else fails, make sure to give opportunities for students to share and discuss their learning, make sure to give brain breaks and technology apps such as: Gonoodle, Kahoot, padlet, google classroom, CPS, Pic Collage, and Sock puppets. Use logic puzzles, incorporate music and art around content area. The goal is to keep them engaged!! However, keep it relevant to content, not busy work.
So it's the end of the school, year, Now What?
