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Shifting gears is a part of the day-to-day lives of teachers. During a school day, teachers speed up and slow down. There are moments where a teacher will come to a screeching halt and just minutes later accelerate from zero to 60 M.P.H. in 3.5 seconds. Shifting gears is part of a teacher’s DNA. Shifting gears increases much more during the final weeks and days of the school year.
Here are some situations that require teachers to adjust speed.
Standardized Testing: All levels of education administer standardized testing towards the end of the year. These tests include AP exams, state testing, and federal testing. Leading up to the exams, teachers often review the material, share testing test-taking strategies, and emphasize age-appropriate mental approaches to taking a test. There is never enough time to cram it all in, yet teachers will work up until that final day before the exam.
Once the test is completed, there is a collective sigh of relief and an opportunity to relax and celebrate all the hard work preparing for the test.
Field Trips: End-of-the-year trips are part of the curriculum for many middle schools. These trips can be simple one-day events, but many are overnight adventures. Historical destinations, such as Washington D.C., or Gettysburg are popular on the East Coast. Preparing for these trips physically, mentally, and emotionally can be overwhelming. Teachers need to create classroom activities that are stress-free in the days leading up to and following a major field trip.
Some middle schools have two overnight adventures for their students during their careers. Many schools attend a camp to experience outdoor adventures and outdoor education. Students learn to sleep in cabins and tents. Many students are away from home for the first time. Outdoor experiences include kayaking, hiking, nature walks, games, campfires, and outdoor education.
Field days: Most students really look forward to a field day. No writing, math, or traditional school activities. Bouncy houses, kickball, hamburgers, and hot dogs. A school day does not get much better than this. It is a day of joy for most students! Be sure to have a rain date.
Graduations: Certainly, today there are more graduation ceremonies than twenty years ago. High school graduations are still a big milestone for students. But more than ever, there are graduations for kindergarten classes, elementary school, and middle school.
Lawn Signs: Many towns post lawn signs for elementary school students “stepping up to middle school, middle school students “moving on” to the high school, and high school students graduating. Take a ride around town to see all the students going to the next level.
Award Ceremonies: Schools always like to honor student achievements. Perfect attendance for students is rare these days. These students are recognized at the end of the year. Awards are also given in areas of excellence such as math, english, reading, physical education, and art to name a few.
Musical Performances and Memorial Day Parades: Music teachers like to have an opportunity for the students to perform one last time. Students spend countless hours developing musical talents and schools like to celebrate these talented students until the very last day of school.
There are many end of the school year events at the high school level that impact education. Here are a few.
AP classes: After high school students have completed the AP exam, the remaining days of classes change focus. The students have worked hard all year preparing for a college-level exam. Many students (and teachers) are mentally exhausted from the preparation that goes into an AP class, starting before the school year with summer work.
Teachers may choose to show historical movies or present a project or group activity. However a teacher chooses to approach the final weeks of the school year, the stress, anxiety, and pacing will be at a much different level for AP teachers. Rookie AP teachers should consult other veteran teachers to get advice on how best to approach the final weeks of the school year.
Prom: The prom is a coming-of-age event and a rite of passage. A high school student’s day leading up to a prom on a Friday night involves early dismissals. Girls have their hair and nails done. Boys pick up tuxedos and flowers. It is a day that is extremely unproductive academically, yet is so important socially for high school students. Even students in grades who do not attend the prom are also impacted.
Final Exam Preparation and Final Exams: Many high schools still have the traditional final exam that occurs during the final days of school. There are many ways a teacher can prepare students for a final exam. Many teachers prepare a study guide and give it to the students, allowing them a few class periods to prepare. Teachers can provide guidance as the students work individually, in pairs, or a group. Others may present the final review, highlighting the major themes and topics covered during the school year. US history teachers may review important primary sources.
Although elementary schools are not our area of expertise, we do know elementary teachers shift gears too. Classroom decorations and cubbies end-of-the-year cleaning can be a big project. Elementary school teachers spent countless hours preparing a classroom for the school year and then cleaning up at the end.
Involving students in the end-of-the-year cleanup can make an individual teacher’s responsibilities less overwhelming.
Writing a Letter to Themselves: Teachers who are looking for an activity that can be used at any grade level can have the students write a letter to themselves in the future.
The teacher will need to determine when and how to deliver the letters to the students in the future.
Hopefully these ideas have been useful as you prepare for the Last Day Of School!