As December starts with its shimmering lights, festive cheer, and the new year coming, teachers find themselves trying to navigate the final stretch before the holiday. While the holiday season brings its own set of joys and challenges (as we all know haha), it also presents a wealth of opportunities for meaningful learning and reflection in the classroom.
Embrace the Festive Spirit
December is a time of celebration, and the classroom should be no exception. Incorporate lessons with holiday-themed activities, crafts, and stories that reflect the cultural diversity of your students. Whether it's learning about different holiday traditions around the world or creating handmade ornaments, embrace the festive spirit to engage students and spark their curiosity.
Maintain Focus Amidst Excitement
While the holiday season brings excitement and anticipation, it can also lead to distractions and disruptions in the classroom. Establish clear expectations for behavior and academic engagement, reminding students of the importance of staying focused on learning goals. Incorporate mindfulness exercises and brain breaks to help students stay centered and attentive during this bustling time of year.
Holiday Themed Activities
Letter Writing - Write a letter to your family or to Santa about what you want for Christmas. Now this one may not be for every class, but you can adjust it to fit your needs! If you don't want to have them write what they want or Christmas, then have them write about what they are giving for Christmas.
Sharing Traditions/Memories - You can do this so many different ways! One way that I like to use this is by having one student share each day something about the holiday season that they love. This really helps the whole class get to know each other and learn to value each student traditions
Gingerbread House Building Contest! - Separate your class into groups and have them design and build a gingerbread house! This does to have to happen all in one day, you can spread across multiple days. Get those students working together in teams! You can even give out awards and certificates for things like most original, sturdiest, holiday spirit, anymore.
Holiday Math Collaborative Coloring - Have your students solve some math problems, discover a code, color, and create a beautiful holiday bulletin board! The math problems are ones that YOU put in, this way you know they will fit the needs of your students perfectly.
Gingerbread Math Puzzles - Who doesn't love a good puzzle?? Well you can create math gingerbread man puzzles with your class! They solve all the math problems and put all the pieces together. Color the gingerbread man and you have a cute little craft to display!
In conclusion, December is a time of joy, reflection, and possibility in the classroom. By embracing the magic of the holiday season, maintaining focus amidst excitement, reflecting on achievements and growth, spreading kindness and compassion, and preparing for a strong finish academically, teachers can create a memorable and meaningful end to the year. As we bid farewell to December and look ahead to the new year, let us celebrate the journey of teaching and learning, filled with moments of inspiration, discovery, and transformation.
Happy Teaching! Alyssa
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