The Winter Doldrums

doldrums: a state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or slump (Merriam-Webster)

January and February are often the toughest months to be a teacher or a student. I recently had a few teachers ask me how we get everything at our school done in one day and how to keep students motivated, even when they are in the doldrums. I believe they work together; having a good schedule and staying on it and having a good classroom culture in which students are encouraged to get all of their work done well and handed in on time (no homework!) is a formidable task—yet, it’s part of our jobs. How can we do it?

Here are the teachers’ questions and my answers. I hope you find them helpful.

How do you find the time to manage all the fun extras on top of thoroughly teaching each grade?

I am currently teaching grades five through eight most of the morning. (The schedule is attached for your reference.) I teach all of the lessons from the book and usually don’t skip anything, but I do often add some extras. I stay focused and on task. My students get their lesson time with me, and then they go back to their seats and do their work on their own. I emphasize staying focused and on-task to my students as well. Our goal is to get everything (Bible, math, penmanship, spelling, vocabulary, and English) turned in before lunch at 11:30. Usually, everyone does.

Then, we do the fun stuff after lunch. I believe it’s better to do something for even fifteen or twenty minutes than not at all. Our band, choir, Spanish, and art classes are often about that long, but at least we have them every day.

We have art class every day for a few reasons. First of all, it’s something to look forward to and I can use it as “leverage” to encourage them to get their work done earlier in the day. If my students don’t have everything turned in for the day, they have to finish their work during art class. It works. They almost always have their work done. Secondly, it’s just good for their brains. We all enjoy working on art projects, and it’s creative. Those are both good things.

To encourage students not to do fast and sloppy work, I do have a few requirements. First of all, I expect them to correct anything that is wrong. I get most of the corrected papers back to the students during morning break or right after lunch and then have a ten to fifteen-minute “fix-up” time. Knowing that they have to correct their papers helps them to be more careful the first time.

I also think that lots of positive encouragement, cheerleading (by me) and positive peer pressure help a lot. I tell my students that I expect their grades to go up as the year goes on, and in most cases, this happens. I reward them verbally (“Great job!”), write encouraging notes on their papers (YAY!!!!, big smiley face, etc.), and offer little incentives. This helps too.

Regarding grading papers, here is what I have found helpful.

1. I grade all through morning break as quickly as I can, focusing on math papers first and spelling and vocabulary next.
2. I grade all through lunch, usually while having discussions with my students. I grade math and English first and save the “easier” subjects (the ones that usually they make A’s on regularly—spelling, vocabulary and penmanship) until the end.
3. After school, I grade the math fix-ups and then the other subjects in the above order. I don’t have a large number of students right now, but I’ve followed this same pattern when I’ve had up to thirty-four students and it worked.
4. I get help from a former student who comes in after school twice a week.

What is your ratio of class to independent work for daily lessons?

Looking at the schedule, for example, the fifth graders will have math from 8:35 to 8:55. They will then return to their seats and have about 30 minutes to work on finishing their math assignment which they turn in for me to grade. They will then work on their spelling and vocabulary before their English class.  The older students will start the review section on their math and work on that before their math lesson time.

So, timewise, I’d say it’s about 2 to 1: a 20-minute lesson and then 30 to 45 minutes to work on the assignment on their own. They ask me questions (if they have them, but usually they don’t) in between my teaching classes.

Three things really help keep this process going effectively:

1. I write on the board—Handwriting, Math, Spelling, Vocabulary, English—so they can stay focused, complete their work, and turn it in, in that order.
2. I give verbal reminders and check up on them, especially the ones I know which might struggle or in certain subjects.
3. I use positive peer pressure! “Everyone got their math turned in! Great job, guys!” If they see their classmates getting their work done and then going to practice piano (first priority), working on their art projects, or going to get a book or a brain game, they are more motivated to get done as well.

How do you check daily lessons—together in class, student self-check, or teacher grading?

I grade everything myself because I want my students to know that I care and make getting good grades a priority, and also for extra accountability. If I emphasize that they need to do their work well and turn it in, they usually get the message that it is important and will hopefully hand it in with a good grade. I just think students are too tempted when they grade their own papers. The trade-papers peer grading is a little better, but I prefer the accountability they have to me personally if I grade their papers. I have also found that my students try harder that way.

Do your average students need to take home any homework?  

NO! I stress this. We have our students for about seven hours a day. I believe that if we are using our time at school well, we shouldn’t be sending them home with more work. I try to stress that to my students as well. That’s a lot of hours of the day to spend at school—who wants to take home more work? We are focused and work hard, but then we’ve got three breaks (that I don’t flex the time on) to run around outside. I also stress that we work hard in the morning and play hard in the afternoon. We usually get all of our work completed and turned in before lunch. Then the afternoons are for history, band, choir, art, and P.E. The fun stuff!

I also don’t give half assignments (do only the odds) on any day but the last day of the week, and then only for math as a reward for completing the week well.

I was asked this same question at a teachers’ workshop once, and I answered it from my point of view as a mother instead of a teacher. I said something like: “As a mom, I’m thinking, ‘You’ve got my children for seven hours a day, and you send them home with homework?! I only have them at home for about five hours (from 4:00-9:00), and then they spend more time doing schoolwork? How would you feel as a teacher if I sent my child to school with a basketful of laundry to fold?’”

Below is a schedule that I have found works well for me. Having a good schedule that works well for you in your classroom, sticking to it as closely as possible, and encouraging students to stay focused and get their work done all have a huge bearing on how much you can accomplish in your day. Plan well!

8:00 – Scripture Memory, Announcements, Prayer

8:05 – Bible

8:35 – 5 Spelling & Math

8:55 – 6/7 Spelling & Math

9:10 – Pre-Algebra

9:30 – Break

9:45 – 5/6 English

10:10 – 7 English

10:40 – 8 English & Vocabulary

11:00 – Science

11:30 – Lunch/Recess

12:00 – Fix-ups

12:10 – Journal Writing

12:15 – Reading Groups 

12:35 – History

1:10 – P.E.

1:40 – Choir

1:50 – Spanish

2:00 – Band

2:20 – Art

2:40 – Cleanup 2:45 – Dismissal

Photo by Aditya Vyas on Unsplash