Ending The School Year

This workshop is all about how to close down your classroom for the school year in the most efficient and effective way.  Michelle’s method will utilize the following steps:

Reflect and Review

1) The first week of the workshop will focus on reflection. Taking time to think through what worked and what didn’t from several points of view will help you be that much ahead of the game at the start of next year. We’ll also review materials and decide what to keep and what to rehome. I’ll also share the first step in Rejoice–end of the year activities with students to keep them engaged and learning!

Reevaluate/Renovate

2) In Week 2, we will make a list of things we want to do differently based on last week’s reflection and make a plan for doing that. We’ll also continue with Rejoice and share more ideas for ending the year while still engaging your students.

Ready

3) In Ready, we are going to begin the work of shutting down the classroom. I’ll be straightforward and say I have never been a believer in having a striped bare class 2-3 weeks before the end of the year. I think it sends the wrong message to students and even ourselves. There are things we can do, however, to be prepared to pack up the room when it is time. We will also continue with Rejoice — this week focusing on end of the year gifts.

Rejoice

4) Our last week we are going to spend rejoicing with our students, families and colleagues. We made it through the school year and that is always something to celebrate, but never more so than this year! We’ll also put the finishing touches on readying our classroom for the next school year so that we can start strong!