It’s December and teachers are certainly in the thick of it! Let’s face it, teaching in December is HARD! Keeping the classroom ship sailing amidst holiday hustle and bustle and the excitement of the holiday season is no easy feat. Kids are excited, very, very excited, and teachers are tired, very tired -challenged with juggling meetings, lesson planning, school celebrations and ACTUALLY teaching while trying to scrape their students off the ceiling.  While it is good to allow our kids to be excited about the season, we need to stay the course, stay focused and finish the semester strong.

Here are 5 tips on teaching in December, managing chaos and maintaining your sanity.

1. Keep your routines and expectations in place.  The busy days leading up to winter break are some of the most challenging times for teachers.  Kids are excited about the upcoming vacation and all that goes with the December holidays.  Now is not the time to ease up on classroom expectations. Children need and thrive with familiar routines. Coming off eighteen months of uncertainty, kids need the confidence that comes with a predictable set of routines now more than ever.
   

   “I can’t control the wind but I can adjust the sail.” ― Ricky Skaggs

2. Be flexible. While it is important to stick with routines, we know that with December comes many activities, presentations and celebrations and, although well intentioned, they can be inconvenient to a normal classroom routine. If there is a time to be flexible and roll with the punches, now is the time. We can’t control the wind, but we can adjust our sails!
   
   
3. Don’t lose your sense of humor!
   Smile! Did you know that when you smile your brain releases little molecules called neuropeptides to help you fight off stress? Then, other neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and endorphins come into play. These endorphins act like pain relievers and serotonin is actually an antidepressant. Going into the day with a positive and playful mindset has rich benefits for teachers and kids alike.  We also look much nicer when we smile and kids respond and are more receptive.  Although many of my students are still in masks, and I miss their smiling faces SO much, I can see their eyes light up when I smile at them. That is my superpower- I can see a kid’s smile through a mask!!I
   
   
4. Participate in a holiday a game or gift exchange.
   Teachers at our school are participating in an activity we call The 12 days of Holiday Spirit.  Each day there is a simple theme to help celebrate the season. It may be something as simple as silly socks, or a hat -not a huge deal, but it’s fun to be silly sometimes and it certainly helps in deciding what to wear!  Who doesn’t need help with that?!  It’s also the perfect excuse to wear a fun graphic T-shirt, jeans or flannel pajama pants to school which kids always find entertaining!
   

   and finally…

5. Exude gratitude!
   Tis’ the season to be grateful for all our gifts and for those around us. Gratitude helps people feel positive emotions, it improves their state of mind by relishing good experiences.  Believe it or not being grateful can actually help when dealing with adversity. Gratitude can also strengthen relationships with staff and administrators as well as boost job satisfaction.
   
   This week our fabulous school librarian for the past eleven years moved on to an exciting new opportunity at our district office. She is the most amazing, strong and beautiful woman both inside and out. She has an extraordinary way with kids and also has the most infectious laugh I have ever heard!  Just being around her makes you happy. Her departure blindsided me. I think it did for our whole staff. I wonder if she knew how much she meant to the teachers, students and families at our school. If she didn’t, she certainly did by the end of the day on Friday.
   There are angels walking among us. Do you have some at your school? If so, tell them how much you appreciate them today!  It will make you feel wonderful, I promise!