Winter months are a hard time to stay focused and inspired. With days being shorter it is easy to see where the winter doldrums comes from. It doesn’t help that summer vacation is approaching and everyone is looking forward to days playing the sun. But there are ways to become inspired and get into the stride of things, whether for you or for your students.
Inspiration for You
Sometimes it is hard to remember why you became a teacher, especially during the winter months. You can become discouraged with students who have become unresponsive. You search for ways to get them back into the swing of things, but nothing seems to be working. They have the blahs and they are rubbing off on you. Find an inspirational poster to help get you through. It will help you remember the reason you became a teacher. Because let’s face it, sometimes all teachers just need to hear that they are appreciated and that they make a real difference in the world.
Inspiration for Your Students
Students need just as much inspiration as you do. Students can get bogged down with the weight of all of their responsibilities and classes. Find them fun videos to liven their spirits and then try hanging different motivational posters up around the room. There are some catchy posters out there that have bright colors and can truly inspire your students. And the good thing about having an inspirational poster in your classroom is that it is there any time the students need it. You can also play fun and energetic music for a quick fix. Studies have shown that if you let your students get up and move around (dance to the music) it will get the blood flowing to their brains and improve learning.
Inspiration for You and Your Students
Sometimes you and your students need more than a video or poster to really inspire and motivate you back into the groove of things. There are two easy ways to do this. Either let your students create bright and cheerful decorations for the classroom to combat the dreariness that is outside, or let them create paper flowers and hang them on the wall to remind you and the students that spring is just around the corner. You can also buy bright decorations or create a chain around your room to count down the days of school left. These are easy and can excite students each day to remove another link. Simply cut strips of construction paper out and link them together.
How do YOU keep yourself and your students out of the winter doldrums? We’d love to hear your ideas!
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