Relax and Refresh this Winter Break

Well, you’ve made it through the first half of the year. While this week was most likely fun, exciting, a little crazy, and a lot exhausting, most educators have the next two weeks off from their normal school schedule. What’s a teacher to do with all that free, unstructured time? I’m sure you can think of plenty - maybe with “sleep” and “nothing at all” at the top of your list. Teachers work hard and deserve a break. In The Principal’s Survival Guide, co-author Susan Stone Kessler says:

"I have learned to schedule time to do nothing, even during the busy holiday season. There is a reason that airline warnings tell passengers 'In the event of the loss of cabin pressure, secure your mask before you help others.' Breaks are the oxygen for an army of educators who serve kids every day in our schools. Take time to enjoy the quiet, for it is through those periods of rest that you are able to return to the classroom stronger, with greater clarity about how to teach in a way that results in student learning, and with a renewed commitment to the important work you do daily: serving your students, who so desperately need you."

So, we’ve got some tips to help you enjoy and refresh this winter holiday, with some help from Vicki Davis at Cool Cat Teacher.

1. Take a break. Relax. Do nothing.
• Don't set your alarm clock and get up when you're ready.
• Stay in your PJs until at least 10:00 AM.
• Lay on the couch all day and watch movies with your kids.
• Sit and drink your favorite drink in the morning. Slowly.
• Don't make a list - at least for the first few days.
2. Reconnect.
• Spend time with yourself, your significant other, your children, your parents.
• Remember that it isn't all about you. Sometimes it is about being thoughtful.
• Think of others and remember that the big things are often little things.
3. Read a Book.
• Go to the library and peruse the shelves.
• Go to a bookstore and check out new titles and bestsellers.
• Find a book you’ve been putting off reading due to the busyness of school and indulge.
• Read an “oldie, but a goodie”.
4. Organize and Donate.
• Pick an area and sort through. Decide what needs to be kept, donated, and/or thrown away.
• Clean up files and pictures on your phone, tablet, computer.
• Remember, you can also donate your time and you can donate gently used things that you don't need any more.
5. Anticipate.
• Look ahead at the upcoming semester.
• Plan the menus for January.
• Get calendars set through spring break.
• Plan routines.

Your Pepper Team hopes that you have a relaxing and refreshing Winter Break. We look forward to coming alongside and helping you grow professionally in the new year.

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Surviving the Week before Winter Break

We’re in the final days before Winter Break. Students and teachers both have worked hard all semester and are eager for time off and a break from routine. However, we still have a week of school before that break begins. Students are excited, and teachers, while also excited, may also be exhausted from extra activities, programs, and over-excited students. For many teachers, this may be the most difficult time of the year. How do we keep our students - and ourselves - motivated? One way to keep everyone engaged is the use of thematic lessons. Ben Johnson, author of Engage and Motivate Your Students Before the Holiday Break, believes that designing learning around a theme provides additional incentive for students to stay interested and engaged in learning. According to Johnson, “Projects designed to embrace holiday and seasonal themes -- and timed to coincide with the holiday schedule -- can relieve pressure on the teacher, enthuse students, and keep them learning and engaged up to the last moment.”

Good lesson plans and structure can help teachers make it through this trying week. There are other ways to make this week easier on students and teachers. Angela Watson, of The Cornerstone, gives 7 Teacher Tips for Surviving the Week Before Holiday Break, citing that the final stretch of the semester can be the one of the most difficult times to maintain order. Here are her tips:

1. Don’t build anticipation.
2. Resist the urge to ease up on your behavioral expectations.
3. Review your procedures and expectations.
4. Integrate high-interest projects and group work into your regular routines.
5. Don’t feel pressure to do all of the elaborate holiday stuff that other teachers do.
6. Keep the last day before break low-key.
7. Get prepared for January before you leave.

Your Pepper Learning Community can be a great resource for surviving the week before Winter Break. Utilizing the experience and skills of teachers from around the country can provide unique opportunities for networking and sharing lesson ideas and classroom management tips. Also be sure to check out your Pepper Resource Library for great tools and resources.

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