Summer is almost here as we near the end of another school year. Students are sitting anxiously in their chairs looking outside at the great weather. This time of the year can create a restless feeling in your students and make it hard for them to concentrate on whatever you’re trying to teach them.
As a teacher, you want to leave a lasting impression on your students. You may not teach them or ever see them again. At the end of the year it’s a lot harder to make an impact. Here are a few ideas and approaches to handling the end of the year:
- Do a team building exercise - Team building exercises don’t have to exclusively be a method of introduction and familiarization for your class. These kinds of exercises can be useful for the end of the year as well to show your students how far they’ve come in just a year.
- Make an art project - An end of the year art project commemorating the school year is a good way to keep your students occupied and also gives them a chance to make something that will remind them of their time with the class.
- Go outside - Whether it’s community service, a field trip or giving a lesson outside, do it! If the weather is nice enough and your students keep looking longingly out the window, take your class with you into beautiful weather and use the nice setting to your advantage.
- Let your students teach - Letting your students pick their favorite lessons to instruct their fellow students is a great way to review what has been learned throughout the course of the school year. It’s also a great way to build-up your students’ confidence levels.
- Hold an end of the year awards ceremony - Any goals that you created at the beginning of the year can come to fruition now. Reward those students who have achieved, progressed and improved by holding a ceremony. Something as simple as a printed certificate that they can take home to their parents will give them something to remember their school year by and also instill them with confidence.