Teacher Survival Tips for the End of the Year

Beth Hedrick

Whether you are a first-year teacher or have many years under your belt, one thing is a constant in this profession: the end of the year can be quite challenging. In fact, many teachers believe that the end of the year requires more perseverance than the start of school.
After countless hours of dedication towards my students and their education, the end of the year is an uphill (okay, a cliff) climb. Like other teachers, I can see the top of that cliff, but the energy required to get to the top can be overwhelming, both physically and mentally. Here are some tips that I have learned in my 22 years of teaching experience.

Take Extra Time to Read Emails
I can promise that the last two weeks of school your inbox may seem like it cannot hold any more messages. Do you remember the beginning of the year when you lazily walked in, all nonchalant and relaxed while greeting your coworkers you missed over the summer? You felt pretty good about your first day back - until you opened the email! BAM! There were probably thirty emails or more, all in a pretty little column.

That is almost like the end of the year, except you get roughly ten more a day than normal, and every single one of them is asking more of you. Be sure to read them to the letter or you may miss out on something very important, like a change in the lunch schedule due to testing or a last minute faculty meeting on a Friday.

Get All Data Together
About one month before school is out, on a weekend when you are not as exhausted, go ahead and take the time to gather all of your data. You may or may not need it later, but chances point to "may".  Within a few weeks before school lets out, you will get an email or notification that your reading data is needed and to bring it to a meeting. You will probably get an email asking for all of your goals, your testing data in various subjects, scores on standardized tests, and more. If you get everything together about a month before, save them all on a drive, then this part of the end of the year will be easy-peasy! Staying proactive and organized will save you that much-needed energy for those last weeks of school.

Do Not Underestimate the Power of Planning
It may not be a surprise that during the last few weeks of school, the students (of any age) will be more excited than normal. Sometimes you will feel like you just cannot take any more, and when the school day is over, your brain will feel mushy because you multitasked and used your mental energy much more than usual. Make sure your lesson plans are detailed, and you have actually spent the time to think about and plan out your day. Planning meaningful activities up till the last day, even if they aren’t “for a grade” will keep your students engaged and will deter any classroom management issues. Yes, testing is over and the students are very aware of that, but there are activities you can do with them that will help them stay on task.

You can also invite a guest speaker in to do various activities with them. I know a teacher who scheduled the town’s public librarian to come in and do origami with them. She came in complete with the crisp, brightly-colored paper and a ton of activities for the kids. They loved it, and it was a welcome change to the teacher as well. I have scheduled a local children’s book author to come in and present their published books to the class. She talked about her journey of becoming an author, read a few of her books to them, and had them create their own class book while giving them tips.

Patience, Patience, Patience
The end of the year is most definitely a test of your patience. The students are ready for that last day, and some behaviors can really show this readiness. Breathe. It is almost the end, and deep breaths during the day, along with keeping yourself hydrated can really help. Stay calm with them and be as proactive as you can in terms of classroom management. Dim the lights a bit, play classical or relaxing music in the background, and stick to your lesson plan. You can do it!

Be Flexible
There are many changes that occur during this time, and having an open mind can help tremendously. Understand that testing happens, and so do retakes and make-ups. Maybe the computer lab will be closed on the day your class typically goes, perhaps the librarian will close the library for inventory, or maybe field day will be rescheduled due to rain. Things similar to these events will happen, so be flexible and try to smile through it all.

It is very helpful to have back-up activities ready just in case you realize, at the last minute, your students don’t have specialty classes (i.e. your planning period) that day, or that band and choir were canceled due to end of the year concerts. If you are prepared with alternate activities that have been carefully planned in advance, your blood pressure will stay down and you will breathe a sigh of relief (true story).

Sleep and Relax
That last week of school, be sure to get enough sleep. You will need your energy to be on your “A-game” all day long, and your mind will need to focus on many things, sometimes simultaneously. Getting enough sleep will result in a happier and more motivated teacher (you) who is ready to tackle anything that comes her way. You will wake up refreshed and with a positive “I can do this” attitude, which is crucial for your students to see.

At the end of the school year, I find myself reflecting on the year I had. I think about the activities we did that were the most memorable and I smile when I think about my students’ personalities. I also find myself wishing and hoping for their bright future ahead. Rather than being “stressed” or focusing on how busy you are, take time during your day to just laugh and smile with them. The relationship-building is not over, and you will be remembered by them as a positive and influential role model for many years to come. Continue to show them you care, relax with them, and just soak up those last few days and enjoy your time with them! You’ve got this!

Beth Hedrick has been educating students for 22 years. She teaches in a rural southwest Virginia community that values the education of every student. She is the mother of two boys, Aaron and Landon, and is married to Todd.

She is an advocate for Autism Awareness, as her son Landon has Asperger’s Syndrome. She has served on her community and school system’s autism support team. Beth enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her Basset Hound, Lenny. She also likes to read, write, blog, and travel in the summer months.