Two of the most exciting times of the school year are the first day of school and the last day of school. In between those 2 days are another 178 days (give or take) that each have their highs and their lows. Now that the holidays have passed and we are down to the remaining 3 months or so of school, we have the joy and hurdle of spring between now and then.
Most people do not realize how tough Spring Fever can be on teachers and administrators. Schools and classrooms are filled with students who have no desire to learn, no desire to do any work, and would much rather be doing anything else, just not school work. And yet, educators all over the country, make it through spring every single year and get their students to actually learn and turn in work, but often not without great struggle on the part of the teacher.
It appears that nothing is new under the sun. Mark Twain describes it so well.
It’s spring fever. . . . And when you’ve got it, you want—oh, you don’t quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! It seems to you that mainly what you want is to get away; get away from the same old tedious things you’re so used to seeing and so tired of, and set something new.
The students in our classrooms do not necessarily know what they want to do. They know for sure they do not want to be doing school and they know for sure they would rather be outside doing something else. You may feel the exact same way, but your job as a teacher is to stay the course and be as consistent as a possible. Keeping this in mind, I have learned a thing or two from Ben Franklin and his sage advice,
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Here are some quick tips for managing your classroom when Spring Fever is in the air:
- Remember you cannot make any student follow the rules. All you can do is create the environment that “encourages” students to do what you have asked them to do.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Make sure your classroom rules are clear, few in number, and easy to see. Students in your classroom need only three rules and definitely no more than five rules. If you think you need more than 3-5 rules, double check that you have not turned skills and procedures into rules.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Create effective procedures that make it easy for students to carry out even the most mundane tasks, especially when they do not feel like doing anything related to school.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Give clear directions. Trying to figure out what a teacher is asking takes a lot of mental energy from students. Make sure your directions are clear, concise, and few in number.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Do not attempt to motivate students by fear or use empty threats. A power struggle will ensue and you will lose.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Instead, create engaging lessons that will capture the interest and attention of your students. If you are not certain what your students are interested in, then ask them! For example, if your students like baseball, find a way to incorporate baseball into a lesson that you are already teaching.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Chunk your 45-minute lesson into three 15-minute segments. Transitions every 15 minutes, when students’ brains can take a break and their bodies can move, even if it is simply standing up and stretching, will keep your students more engaged.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Students can engage in productive focused listening for only about 1 minute per age. If you are losing your students’ attention, ask yourself how long are you talking at your students without giving them a chance to process what you are saying?[spacer height=”20px”]
- If you are prone to lectures, add more student interaction to your lessons. Students need time to process the information you are delivering. Check out these strategies and integrate them into your lecture.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Post clear learning goals for students so they know exactly what it is they are supposed to learn.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Convey your confidence in your students’ ability to do what you have asked them to do. Use sincere compliments to reinforce student behavior. Sincere compliments are exchanged between you and a student because you want them to know that you appreciate something they have done.
Beware: Do not give “compliments” as a means to manipulate other students into doing what they are supposed to be doing. For example, do not say to the entire class, “I like how Joe is in his seat ready to learn” or “I like how Sue threw away her trash.” Joe and Sue know that is not a sincere compliment directed to them. Not only that, every other student is casting mean glances in their direction. Do not do it. Those are not sincere compliments.[spacer height=”20px”] - Teach a lesson outside if weather permits.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Use brain breaks to get your students up a moving, especially in the afternoon and after lunch when they start to drag. Go Noodle is a great place for music and video brain breaks. It is easy to use and most importantly, it is free.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Use a fun cooperative activity to continue to build teamwork and cooperation in your classroom. Use this activity and change it to A Cooperative “Spring” Project.[spacer height=”20px”]
If Spring Fever has not yet hit the students in your classroom, prepare now by implementing these strategies. You just may make it through the spring without it disrupting your classroom.
How have you dealt with spring fever in your classroom? Leave a comment below.