I’m a big planner. I am constantly thinking ahead, reviewing in my mind and sometimes out loud (even when I’m alone) what’s going to happen today, tomorrow — well, these days I don’t get much further ahead than one day. I do often check my calendar, though, where I keep track of everything.
Planning ahead eases my mind. Slipping and sliding by the seat of my pants, while spontaneous and adventuresome, is not a lifestyle that works for me. Especially when things get busy.
Like during the academic year.
As I’ve suggested already, planning your self-care breaks way ahead is smart. When you’re burning out, it’s too late to figure out what you need. You can’t do it. Planning what you’ll need when you’re still sane means the only work you’ll have to do when the time comes for your scheduled break is to get your ass there.
Today, though, we’re going to talk about planning ahead in your classroom. Because routines, regularity, and consistency are not only good for you. They’re good for your students. The more predictable your classroom is the safer it’s going to feel, especially for students whose home lives are not as reliable as you or they might like.
And it’ll feel safer for you. Which reduces the chances that you’ll burn out.
Tip #4: Establish classroom ground rules on Day One.
You might already do this. If so, HUZZAH!!! Spread the word.
But I’ve worked with teachers who are pulling their hair out mid-year because their students are acting out in inappropriate ways. It’s a bummer because, as we all know, habits are formed over time.
If students are left to their own devices for several weeks or months — sauntering in late, sitting on each other’s laps, dissing each other during discussions, talking back to the teacher — they co-create the classroom culture unconsciously. They end up defining the classroom through their automatic behaviors. The teacher, who didn’t expect this to happen, is left feeling helpless. And getting the students to change entrenched behaviors is intimidating and, at this point in the academic year, well-nigh impossible.
The key here is to establish a healthy holding environment in your classroom from the get-go.
Ground rules are key to a healthy holding environment. What’s expected? Why? What happens when expectations aren’t met? Those are the simple questions ground rules answer.
It’s tempting to just hand your ground rules out or hang a poster with the ground rules written on them and read them out loud for the students. This approach saves time! There’s so much content to get through!
But I advise strongly against this approach. When any rules or standards are possessed by the teacher but not by the students, you set yourself up for pushback. The students will test you. Does this rule hold? Are you really going to follow through with the consequence? Or can I charm you into giving me a second chance? And a third? And fourth?
No. Create your ground rules with your students. Engage them in an authentic problem-solving activity on Day One.
That problem being “How will we work together to keep this room happy, safe, and productive?”
How to go about doing this? Some ideas:
Start with the words. “What does happy/safe/productive look like in school for you?” (Of course, use your own words.) Be prepared for groans and complaints. But stick with it. I do love the idea of starting with a non sequitur like happiness, though. Or joy. Starting with “happy” or “joyful” can get students’ attention because those words seem so oxymoronic in the school context. Still, when asked, some students will be able to describe these states, which can help other students at least visualize them. Guaranteed, though, that all students will take notice when you let them respond honestly. This empowering discussion will give your students an intriguing glimpse into what’s in store for the rest of the year.
List the conditions. Ask, “What conditions will help you feel these things in our classroom?” Conditions: The circumstances that must prevail. Physical — “Let’s sit in a circle” — intellectual — “I need a few seconds after you ask a question so I can think” — relational — “I want to applaud when someone comes up with a good answer”; “No bullying or intimidating” — and emotional — “Knowing what we’re doing each day will help me with my anxiety.”
Discuss them thoroughly. As conditions come up, examine them. Can we combine this condition with one we’ve already listed? How would we put this idea into words? Do we need to split one condition into two separate, more nuanced conditions? This discussion is essential, as it means students are feeling their own ways towards a classroom agreement. Which means they will be invested in the outcome.
Have a student scribe. This ensures the words that are written down make sense to at least one student — the scribe — which increases the chances they’ll make sense to the other students.
Make the list concise. Work to consolidate the conditions — the ground rules — into an efficient, easily graspable list. This might spill over into a second class period. But consider: The thinking students are doing in this activity is valuable. That’s what school is all about.
Plan consequences. Once you’ve got your list of ground rules, congratulations! But you’re not done yet. The next step is perhaps the most important. Ask the students, “What do we agree will happen when each of these ground rules is violated?” Let students come up with the consequences. I’m guessing you might have to mitigate some of their suggestions! Students can be harder on themselves and each other than most adults.
Model civility. Make sure the consequences are natural, not punitive, and the means of implementing them is civil, even kind. The consequences themselves are of course important, but agreeing on how they will be administered or pointed to is crucial. Ask, “How can we correct each other effectively? How can we inspire change in each other rather than blame, shame, or defensiveness?” Geez. How many of our students have ever had this conversation? How many desperately need to have it?
Make sure the agreed-upon consequences are easily visible. The poster you and your students have created is a social contract. It gives all of you permission to hold each other accountable. Which is the point! Accountability! There can be no accountability if the ground rules and natural consequences for breaking them are not spelled out and easily referred to.
Be realistic and flexible. Assure your students that, as with every social contract, revisions will probably be necessary. Experience will teach everyone in your unique community how best to hold each other and be held. Revisit the ground rules regularly to make sure they’re still relevant and useful. Revise at will.
This is a lot, I know! But consider what this first lesson of the year accomplishes:
It models for your students ways of collaborating and talking that can carry through the year.
It treats your students as valuable authorities on their own experience.
It activates students’ knowledge about school and their own relationship with it; it insists they take responsibility for their part in that relationship.
It requires students to cultivate metacognition.
It establishes a baseline expectation of mutual trust and respect.
It asks students to utilize intellectual skills like brainstorming, refining, revising, and consolidating.
It sets up a healthy holding environment where management of stressed, stressful behavior is distributed among all class members, reducing the emotional load on everyone.
It creates a learning community.
I’ve probably missed something! If you’ve got something to add to either of my lists, please share it!
Please: Do not let your students take charge of your classroom or your life this year. Therein lies burnout. You take charge on Day One by making expectations for your classroom explicit. Your expectations. And your students’.
I’d love to hear how it goes.