How to Teach When You’re Tired
As fall break comes to a close, teachers are (often reluctantly) preparing to go back into the classroom for those final weeks of the year. The days are short, people are busy, and money is often tight. Teachers can be worn out and ready for a longer break!
This inspired me to write about how to teach when tired.
If you’re not quite at 100%, here are a few things you can do to make your days a bit easier until you are refreshed and ready to give it your all again.
Pick Your Top Three
Look in your plan book and pick just three things you want your students to learn the next few weeks. Maybe you really want to cover a period of history, some grammar concepts, or simplifying fractions. Put your energy into just those things that are most important for your kids to learn. Choose things that your students are ready for. Think of simple yet powerful concepts that will serve them well.
Divide and Conquer
Classroom management is tough - even when you aren’t tired! One concept that saved me as a first year teacher is the idea of “divide and conquer.” This refers to having students work on different things in different areas of the classroom. Although we usually want our students to have a chance to discuss and work together, sometimes we need a quiet classroom so kids can concentrate (or because we are tired!). I used this technique during reading groups, so I would have some students with me at a table, while others were spread around the room or working independently. For example, some students were working on the computer, some were reading independently (and NOT sitting near each other), individual students were working at a pocket chart, at the listening station, at their desks, etc. The idea is to space them out as much as possible so they do not interrupt each other. You can then rotate the students to different areas so they don’t get too bored of a single task.
Look for No Prep and Self-Grading Lessons
Now is not the time for time-consuming prep or a pile of grading. Look for lessons that have little to no prep. If you have a parent helper in your classroom, you may be able to ask them to do some lesson prep tasks as well. Or, some parents may be willing to take some materials home and prep them for you if they can’t volunteer in the classroom. Otherwise, look for lessons that are “print and go” or can be completed with plain paper and classroom materials. In addition, look for resources that are self-correcting. These can be worksheets where something is revealed as the student works. Or, you could have an answer folder where students come and check their work after they are done.
Embrace Independent Projects
I love assigning research projects to students. What I love about them is that they give the students ownership of their learning and a new understanding that they have the power to find things out! This is so important for developing initiative and motivation to learn. A nice bonus is that the students can work independently, be interested in their learning, and share what they learned with others.
My advice for research projects (or other independent projects) is:
Let students choose what to research based on an over-arching theme (such as: pick an animal, a state, or famous person)
Use the internet or school library for information gathering
Give choices for how to present (slideshow, poster, paper, etc.)
Have students present to the class at the end to show their learning and share their new knowledge!
Keep Things Simple
Teachers do SO much and have a lot on their plates. Sometimes things get overwhelming just by the nature of the job. When you are tired, it is time to simplify. Find a routine that works well with your class. Focus on the most important concepts for your students to learn. Don’t take on extra responsibilities if you can avoid them (I know this can be hard!). If your school has a good culture, reach out to other teachers for tips as well. Take care of yourself so you can serve your students. Before you know it, the next break will be here and you will have a chance to truly recharge. Until then, I hope these tips (and maybe some strong coffee!) will help you get through.