Transition Your Students into a Good Second Half of the School Year

Motivating your students after the holiday break can be difficult. Many students struggle to get back into the routine of homework and studying after a couple of weeks off, with the end of the school year in sight and their brains still in vacation mode. What can you do? Here are a few tips on how to re-energize your students for the spring semester:

1. Ease into it. Plan out your first month back to school strategically, saving the more intensive work for a couple weeks into the term. If possible, use the first week back as a refresher on where you left off before holiday break.
2. Engage your students in some planning. Set some goals as a class. You have milestones to reach between now and spring break (and the end of the school year), but invite your students to contribute their ideas on exactly how you’ll do so.
3. Have students write personal goals. This can be a very inspiring exercise, getting students into the right mindset to make the most of the rest of the school year. Talk about the importance of setting SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and t
4. Clean up and clean out. Your classroom might not be as tidy and organized as it was at the beginning of the school year, and most likely, neither are your students’ backpacks, desks, and binders. Take some time to get your class organized and back on track as the year begins.
5. Be enthusiastic. Your energy will be contagious, so share with your students what you’re excited about this semester, and open the discussion to learn about what they’re looking forward to as well. Talk about some of the fun projects or units you have coming up. Take a student-centered approach to get them engaged.

With a little effort, you’ll get this year off to a great start. Lay the foundation for success with some planning—and a lot of excitement.