5 Ways to Deal with Disruptions During the Holiday Season
Welcome to this comprehensive guide on handling those holiday-hyped classes between Thanksgiving and Christmas, where peace seems elusive, and disruptions are the order of the day.
We understand the seasonal rush, combined with the anticipation of holidays, can make even the best-behaved classes a handful — they can't seem to sit still! You end up juggling chaos while the curriculum loses priority.
However, fret not. Remain patient and follow our personable and actionable advice to maintain classroom decorum effectively during this challenging period.
Caring about the well-being of your students involves understanding how to manage your classroom during the most festive and hyperactive times of the year. The key lies in effectively balancing fun seasonal activities with serious learning goals.
In this guide, we will:
Learn proactive techniques that curb disruptions and encourage attentiveness.
Understand how to weave holiday spirit into our lessons to engage students.
Explore strategies to ensure continued academic concentration despite all the buzzing holiday cheer.
Remember, reinforcing discipline doesn't mean curtailing joy. Instead, it's about channeling their holiday spirit into a vibrant, productive, and harmonious classroom atmosphere. So, courage up, chuck that overwhelm out, and get ready to master classroom management this holiday season.
Why Do My Students Act...Differently During the Holiday Stretch?
The holiday period, particularly the stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas, typically brings a change in student behavior. With vacation time just around the corner, kids may seem more inattentive, hyperactive, and disruptive than usual. Research suggests that disruptions in the classroom tend to peak during the Thanksgiving to Christmas stretch.
But don't worry, it's not you – it's the Christmas cookies!
Let's begin our discussion with the likely reasons for this altered behavior.
Firstly, children are excited—they anticipate festivities, presents, and, most importantly, a break from school.
Secondly, their routines may be disturbed by holiday preparations at home, leading to late nights or inconsistent schedules.
It can also be a time of stress, as some children may find changes in routine and uncertainties about holiday arrangements unsettling.
Consequently, this combination of anticipation, interruption of regular routines, and potential stress can result in a class full of hyperactive, inattentive students. But don't worry - some strategies can help maintain control and harmony during these challenging weeks!
How to Deal With Holiday Season Disruptions in Your Classroom
1) Maintain Your Routine (With A Festive Twist)
Studies have shown that disruptions during the holiday season can negatively impact academic performance and learning outcomes. As much as you can, retain the usual school routine—even if it's spruced up with a little holiday cheer.
Inject festive elements into regular lessons; math problems could involve counting Christmas cookies or social studies could revolve around Thanksgiving traditions. Regular timetables with a fun twist can maintain a sense of structure that will keep students grounded.
Teacher Bulletin Tip:
Imagine your classroom's standard morning routine of student attendance checks and a review of the day's timetable.
Instead of a plain roll call, integrate a festive twist. Make a 'Christmas Roll Call'.
Create a big, colorful chart with Christmas ornaments and each student's name on a separate ornament.
As they arrive and you call their name, the student can place their ornament on the Christmas tree chart.
Similarly, instead of simply discussing the timetable, you could bring a little holiday magic by transforming the routine timetable review into the 'Advent Calendar Reveal.' Create an Advent calendar with daily tasks hidden behind a Christmas-themed image. Let a student open the day's image to reveal the plan.
Nudges like these can maintain routine, foster engagement, and infuse the holiday spirit into the classroom, keeping the balance between fun and effective teaching. Remember, even with these festive changes, keep the routine structure as consistent as possible.
2) Take Advantage of The Holiday Spirit (Don't Run From It!)
Children are naturally festive, so why not use it to your advantage? The holiday season can be a challenging time for classroom management. Instead of trying to suppress the holiday excitement, channel it into educational activities. Get creative!
Assign festive-themed writing assignments or organize a Christmas carol vocabulary challenge. This not only keeps things educational but also fun and engaging.
Teacher Bulletin Tip:
Imagine this: The same spelling test you give every Friday could be transformed into something engaging during the holiday season. Instead of merely writing the words on paper, consider turning it into a 'Holiday Word Scramble' where students unscramble holiday-themed vocabulary words.
You're not changing the activity's essence - it's still a spelling test. But you're incorporating a twist that gives students the hint of the holiday season.
This mindset toward holiday schoolwork helps maintain their focus while also taking advantage of their natural enthusiasm around this time of year. Such small changes can make all the difference in keeping your students engaged during the festive season.
3) Maintain Effective Communication with Students
It's important to continue setting clear expectations and remind students of acceptable behavior. It would be best if you recapped your classroom rules, explaining that they still apply even during the festive season.
Better yet, involve students in creating a limited set of 'holiday rules', encouraging them to take ownership of their behavior. If you haven't built a collaborative set of rules with students before, check out our full guide on how to do it effectively.
Teacher Bulletin Tip:
Imagine it's the week before Thanksgiving. The class can't seem to settle down, and you've noticed a spike in absences. You decide to open a dialogue with your students. During your morning meeting, you ask them how they are feeling about the coming holiday season. You reassure them that feeling both excitement and stress is okay during this period.
You explain that even teachers might feel slightly overwhelmed with the approaching holidays and end-of-year tasks. You express understanding that everyone, including them, would be distracted by the holiday cheer and all the festive activities around them.
By adopting this simple act, you've established a mutual understanding with your students. Also, you've set the tone for open and supportive communication, enabling them to voice their thoughts and feelings.
This proactive approach will foster a warm classroom atmosphere and instill in your students the importance of empathy and communication, providing a basis for less disruptive behavior.
4) Promote Balance: Work Hard, Play Hard
It's the festive season, so allow time for some fun activities too. These don't have to be unrelated to learning. Fun classroom games, festive crafts, or even an educational holiday movie can offer a break from structured learning. Positive reinforcement and rewards can motivate students to behave appropriately during this time.
Just remember, balance is key. Playtime can be earned through the completion of tasks and good behavior.
Teacher Bulletin Tip:
Introduce a Holiday-themed 'Work for Reward' system. For every task or assignment a student completes, they earn holiday-related stamps or stickers. Once they accumulate a certain amount, they earn a festive reward, such as getting to choose a holiday movie for the class to watch or getting first dibs on holiday snacks.
Organize a holiday project that breaks off into small, daily tasks. For instance, students can create an advent calendar. Each school day, they must do a task or assignment before they can create that day's 'tile' for the calendar.
Have a “Festive Friday” setup. Starting in December, establish Fridays as a day for fun, holiday-related lessons and activities. This offers students something to look forward to at the end of each productive school week.
Create a balance with a holiday-themed 'World Explorer' project. Assign students countries to research that have different holiday traditions. Perform traditional academic work researching and writing reports, then balance this with crafts, foods or games from these countries as a fun, educational celebration.
Alternate between traditional lessons and holiday crafts or activities. For every period spent on strict academic activities, follow this with a lesson involving a holiday craft or festive activity. This balances work and play and integrates the holiday spirit into the learning process.
5) Ensure a Supportive Learning Environment
Empathy can go a long way during this time of year. Children may face all sorts of emotions—excitement, anticipation, stress, or feeling overwhelmed. Creating a calm and welcoming classroom environment can contribute to a more harmonious holiday season.
Providing a supportive and understanding classroom environment is as important as managing behavior. Try to acknowledge their feelings, reassure them, and maintain a positive atmosphere.
Teacher Bulletin Tip:
Imagine this scenario: Ms. Johnson, a seasoned elementary school teacher, has noticed her students are particularly jittery in the run-up to the holiday season. After reflecting on her classroom's needs, she decides to implement a 'Holiday themed Support Station' in one corner of the room. This station includes a 'worry tree,' where students can write down any worries or concerns they might have about the holiday period and hang them on the tree, instantly offloading their fears.
In addition, the station also offers a 'comfort box,' in which students can deposit notes about things that bring them comfort at this special time of year. Both of these practices show students that their personal feelings are recognized and that their teacher is sensitive and responsive to their emotions during this festive period. They feel understood, stabilized, and supported in their learning environment.
Ms. Johnson checks the 'worry tree' and 'comfort box' regularly, addressing any issues that arise and sharing positive notes during class to foster a sense of community and positivity.
This simple yet effective measure transforms her classroom into a supportive, empathetic space where students feel empowered to voice their emotions and continue focusing on their learning amidst the holiday excitement.
The Holidays Can Still Be Successful for Learning - Don't Give Up!
Navigating the holiday stretch in the classroom can indeed present its challenges. However, with the right mix of consistency, creativity, effective communication, balance, and support, keeping the students engaged and maintaining a harmonious learning environment is possible.
Embrace the festive spirit without compromising your classroom's routine or productivity. Remember, every challenge can be transformed into an opportunity for growth and enrichment for both you and your students if approached with the right mindset.
You can turn the holiday season into a memorable and productive period for your students. Happy Teaching!