Coming back to the classroom after a school break means it’s time for a reset!
Whether you’re returning from the holidays or from spring break, there’s something comforting about resetting the classroom. Here are some strategies for freshening up your classroom!
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Starting Fresh as a Teacher
Some of my favorite ways to “reset” my own mindset include:
- Tidying up my digital files. A purge of my email always leaves me with a good feeling. Similarly, going through my Google Classrooms and getting them in order for the upcoming year is a good way to reset my digital space.
- As a high school teacher, I don’t maintain seasonal bulletin boards, but I do have space where I hang student work, anchor charts, and our classroom calendar. Create a visual reset by tidying up this space, changing out student work, and determining which anchor charts to keep and which to take down.
- Update your Daily Agenda slides for the new term or quarter. I keep Very Simple Daily Agenda slides, but if you have seasonal slides, this is the perfect time for a transition. For me, this means shuffling old slides to the back.
- A declutter is also a good way to reset your professional space. In the past year, I have decluttered my classroom and my PD library.
Student-Led Reset
Although they may not have the words for it, students often crave a reset as they come back from break. Here are some different ways to help students reset their classroom space:
- Provide space, time, and examples of organization. This may look different depending on what grade you teach, but student lockers, desks, binders, and backpacks can get messy. Helping students decide what to keep, recycle, return, and toss is a good way to reset.
- Visit the library to check out new books, return old titles, and renew others. A library visit can be the perfect palette cleanse for students.
- Similarly, reset the classroom library. Over time, students can shuffle titles around, so this is a good time to reset the shelves. It may also be time to highlight different titles, add new genre labels, or pull out new read alouds.
- Finally, sometimes a new seating chart can be a good way to help students start fresh. I am a huge fan of seating charts because they provide structure and support.
The Reset Mindset
As I lean into this “reset mindset,” here are some reads that provide suggestions for how to approach a season of renewal and rebirth.
- Anytime I need to be rest to my “factory settings,” it’s probably a sign that I’ve picked up (or returned to) some poor habits. Ditching these 10 habits has made me a happier teacher.
- Similarly, look for ways to limit the number of decisions you make in a day. As teachers, we can feel overwhelmed by decisions, so declutter and destress your brain with these 4 easy ways to lower decision fatigue.
- It’s also important to protect your mental space. Teaching is a hungry job: it consumes and doesn’t always repay. With this in mind, it’s important to remember these 3 Things Successful Teachers Don’t Do.
- Finally, sometimes a reset is all about using your time more effectively. These 11 hacks will make the most of your time.
Word of the Year
For the last six years, I have been setting a word of the year. This is a reflective and thoughtful way for me to establish a focus for the year. (It’s also an activity I do with students!)
2024 was a year of significant change for me: I moved cities and jobs. I even bought my first house. With all this change, my focus for 2025 is to reset.
In 2024, the changes in my personal life meant I didn’t have as much time to focus on Moore English. There are some big things on the horizon for 2025, and I can’t wait to share them with you!
Check out my previous words of the year!
