Six End-of-School-Year Teacher Tips

May 26, 2022

Here are some end-of-the-year strategies and tips for teachers, from NEA Member Benefits:

Count it down. Give students something to look forward to each day when they come to school by doing an activity that lets them count down the days until summer break, something like a balloon pop to find out each day how many days are left, or a countdown bulletin board.

Try something new! You know that one lesson plan or activity that you’ve wanted to try, but just never had the time to do? The end of the year can and should still be for useful learning! If you have gaps in your lesson plans, it’s the perfect time to test new strategies you’ve had in mind and would like to incorporate into your classroom plans for next year.

Stay in your routine as long as possible. Any experienced teacher will tell you that maintaining your routine is one of the best ways to navigate all the end-of-year craziness. That said, it doesn’t hurt to add some fun games to your classroom routine!

Get organized. Among all the finals, overdue homework, grading, and lessons you’re still completing, your desk can pile up pretty quickly at the end of the year. Staying organized and tracking progress on work tasks are key to finishing the year strong and getting final grades in on time.

Carve out some time for yourself. Although you want to stay on top of your work, try not to spend every night hunkered down in your classroom attempting to get everything done all at once. Finding some time for self-care is important, especially during the end of the year when you feel like your to-do list is a mile long. Allow time to go home and relax, take a walk outside, play with your children, read, take a bath, etc. This may seem counter-intuitive, but you will be able to release your stress and have more energy for the final push as the last day of school gets closer.

Reflect on the successes of your year. Take some time, with or without your students, to reflect on the past school year–what they’ve learned, what their favorite lessons were, the friendships that were built, and the strong bond you all have formed as a class. Celebrate student successes, laugh at funny moments, and don’t forget to give yourself credit for all you have accomplished as an educator, as well.

Lastly, accept that your last few days of school are going to be filled with emotion and require your full attention. But the end is near. It may get a little rocky and you may become overwhelmed, but soon you’ll be packing up your classroom and all your memories from this school year with it. Remember to enjoy your last days and moments with your students.

Did You Know?

According to the Economic Policy Institute, teachers in Virginia earn 67 cents on the dollar compared to other (non-teacher) college-educated workers. Virginia’s teacher wage penalty is the worst in the nation.

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Six End-of-School-Year Teacher Tips

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