Lots of advice for any teacher this time of year tends to
focus on making it to the end of the year. You know how it is: Lots of gritting
our teeth and grimly hanging on until the very end. What a miserable way to
spend even one minute of our lives, much less convey that attitude to our
students. If we are as miserable as the gloomy advice would make it seem, just
think how miserable our students must feel.
Instead of glumly counting the days until we can be freed
from the prison that school can be this time of year, how doing
something---well, spectacular? And by spectacular, think fireworks, cheers, applause,
celebrations, a huge smile on every student’s face.
Changing a negative mindset this time year can change everything.
It’s a sure win-win. Best of all, it is pretty easy to be spectacular. Here’s
how.
1. Hold a classroom awards ceremony. Celebrate the little
things that have made the year special: most improved, neatest papers, most
cooperative…the list is endless.
2. Surprise students with a bulletin board dedicated to their
accomplishments. Take sneaky photos of them working and print them out. Then,
use bright paper to spell out their successes. Maybe a Top Ten list of the best
moments of the year.
3. Have students write each other thank you notes for the
kind things they did for each other during the year.
4. Hold a Teach-a Thon to prepare for final exams or end of
the year standardized tests. You can manage it, but students can be the actual
teachers.
5. Bury a class time capsule to be opened when they
graduate. Fill it with notes to their future selves, headline clippings, and
other memorabilia.
6. Hold a charity event where students work together to help
others less fortunate. Online games such as Free Rice are wonderful for this.
Locally, there are many organizations that could use student volunteers or
donations. The key to making this type of project spectacular is that students
will be having fun with classmates.
7. Turn review sessions into sporting tournaments. Hold an
Olympics or a World Series or a Stanley Cup Playoff. Have students make up
rules and procedures and have a blast!
8. Break out giant sheets of bulletin board paper and have
students write advice to next year’s students. They can outline each other’s
hands or feet and write their names on it as well. You benefit from the relaxed
time now as well has with a wonderful bulletin board next fall.
9. Have students make two or three paper airplanes each.
Then, have them write facts related to the material understudy on the wings. Take
everyone outside and fly the planes. Students have to pick up someone else’s
plane, read the information, and fly it again. Chaos? Yes. Fun. Yes. Learning.
Yes. Spectacular? You bet.
10. Somehow, find the time to write each child a two or
three sentence note about his or her strengths and accomplishments. Wish them
well during the next year. Tell them you will miss them. These will sure to be
treasured for a long time.
