How to survive the last week before winter break.

We all get a break from school in about 24 hours so this last week has been kinda rough.  The kids are rowdy and struggle to focus.  What can a teacher do to make this as painless as possible?

1. Keep them busy.  Idle time leads to mischief so keep things on hand for them to do, even if it is a puzzle sheet (introduce some new vocab) or coloring sheet (brain break).

2. Smile and laugh with them.  It helps everyone feel less stress.  Remember you are excited for the break and so are they.  Share this with them.  Ask them about their plans.  It's time to bond!

3. If all else fails, find a quiet movie to run.  I love Wall-E for a longer piece (connect to saving the planet discussions) or Simon's Cat on youtube if you need just a few minutes for them to calm down.  Sorry, no academic connections to the cat, but it is funny stuff.

Hold on tight, and Good Luck!