Is Your End of Year Countdown Hurting Your Students?

For many of us the countdown is on.  The end of the year excitement is starting to kick in, and let’s face it-along with that comes end of the year exhaustion. #NoTiredLikeEndOfTheYearTeacherTired

This blog post will be a three part series.  We will cover 3 topics that will help your students now, help you currently, and benefit you for the next school year. 

Who wants to teach anymore?  I mean, by this point the kids should be teaching themselves, right? Wrong.  Oh, but how I wish it were true.

Everyone is excited. Summer is around the corner!  End of the year packets are being prepped, countdown numbers are getting posted on the classroom walls, and kids are being reminded that the end is near.  The reason this happens and will continue to happen is because teachers are a special breed.  Most teachers wake up with lesson plans on their mind and go to bed thinking of what cute yet purposeful anchor chart they can create for tomorrow’s lesson (Hello Pinterest at 2 am because I can’t sleep and I need to see images of anchor charts).  Naturally, May or June rolls around and teachers are fried.  They are NOT tired of their students, they are NOT tired of teaching, and they are NOT tired of making a difference.  They’re simply tired, and at this point, one week off isn’t going to cut it.  

So, let’s go over this again-you are NOT tired of the students, teaching, or making a difference. BUT (and it’s a huge but), that is what your actions may be telling your students.  Some students will ride the excitement wave with you and even be more excited than you, but not all students feel this way.  The constant talk of end of year, and countdown to summer can be detrimental to some kids.  You may be thinking, “Don’t be such a drama queen; it’s not that serious”, but sadly-it is.  Don’t shrug it off and stop reading just yet. The reason why it could have adverse effects on the kids is most likely because the support and the instruction they’ve received from their teacher (you) has been outstanding!  Let’s look at what students have all year long and some may not have over the summer.

Stability

According to Greendoors, a non-profit working to prevent homelessness, on any given night about 643,067 people experience homelessness in America.  Of those people, 238,110 are in families. That number is staggering.  Think about it, what percentage of that statistic is made up of students who walk in through our classroom doors every day? Some students’ lives are very unstable.  Shoot!  My life can sometimes be unstable, but I have something that many kids don’t have-I know how to cope and self-regulate.  School offers stability, and children thrive when they are in stable environments.  Knowing that the school year is almost over can send a student into panic, because they don’t know what the future holds for the next two months.  Maybe you don’t have any students who are affected by homelessness, but that does not mean they may not face instability.  Some kids may have stable home lives, but they don’t deal well with change. To go from spending 6-8 hours in a classroom knowing the expectations, to having hours upon hours of free time can be jarring for some students.

Food

Why in the world is food on this list?  Well, because not everyone has food.  According to Feeding America, in 2014, 21% of children in the US lived in poverty and 15.3 million children lived in food-insecure homes.  I know the data I’m throwing at you must be mindboggling, but it is undoubtedly the reality we face today.  Most schools offer breakfast and lunch, and some kids eat the lunch in the cafeteria knowing that their next meal won’t come until the next morning.  This post just got really depressing, right?  This is what teachers see on a daily basis in some classrooms.  Some schools may have only about 1% of the population facing poverty, while other schools are fully composed of poverty stricken children.  A teacher’s countdown could mean countdown to summer while a student in that same classroom is counting down to the day when they know they will no longer get consistent meals.  Remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?  If you've never heard of it, the premise is pretty simple.  When people’s basic needs, such as food, water, and sleep, aren’t being met, it’s increasingly hard for all other things to take flight.  Think of yourself on one of those mornings when you’re exhausted and there is no coffee in sight.  Yeah, that. #TheStruggleIsReal

Nurture

Teachers, you have a heart of gold.  That may sound weird, because I am a teacher and I’m basically praising myself.  But I know what I offer my students every day.  I know the care that goes into shaping minds and souls.  You see, teachers not only teach the mind; they nurture the soul also.  Hugs, attention, and kind words go a long way and can have lasting effects on a child.  Most adults can think back and remember at least one teacher that made them feel like they mattered.  Go ahead, think about it.  I bet you can name at least one teacher that had a positive effect on you.  Some students go home for the summer and they no longer receive that.  I’m not saying our students, your students, have bad parents.  I’m saying that everyone comes from different walks of life and your reality may not be someone else’s. You make every day count with your words and your actions. Your countdown may remind students that they will no longer have your tender love and care.  You do things every day that nourish their souls and sometimes don't even realize it.

  

Are countdowns bad?  This post may make you think they are, but they’re not.  Am I judging you if you do a countdown?  No way!  I’m counting down too.  Countdowns can be exciting and positive, but they need to be mindful.  Your every day from now until the last day cannot be centered around counting down to the end.  Make the end of the year a positive challenge.  Focus on the things the students have learned and highlight them.  Do special projects that focus on what the students have accomplished.  You are guaranteed to enjoy the rest of the year a lot more if you focus on the exciting things you can do together instead of the exciting things you will do once the school year is over.   

Happy Teaching,