Early in my teaching career, I tried to join the cheer at the holidays. Dutifully, I signed up for Secret Santa, filled out my questionnaire about likes and loves, and drew a name from a hat.
As much as I appreciated a little treat every day for a week, I actually found the entire process overwhelming. It was too much to sneak a gift into someone’s mailbox or onto their desk. Very quickly, I learned that participating in Secret Santa is not sustainable for me, so I haven’t participated the last few years.
Does that make me a Grinch?
No, it makes me practical. Rather than reject the holidays wholeheartedly, I have leaned into practices that make the holidays an enjoyable and sustainable part of the classroom.
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Tools for Surviving the Holidays
Finally, I have to share a secret weapon for surviving the holidays in the classroom. You’ve heard this before, but it’s important to work smarter, not harder.
For this reason, I wanted to remind you about the Moore English Freebie Library. It’s home to some of my most-popular resources, and everything is there for you to grab today! No password needed. Ever.
These are some of my favorite tools to help manage a hectic holiday season:
- Task Cards
- Classroom Gift Tags
- Visual Writing Prompts
- Very Basic Agenda Slides
- Google Forms Parent Contact Log
