BRRR!!
January is usually cold and dreadful. Yes?! But this week was next level extreme. The “polar vortex” reached the midwest and my goodness! I had students come back to school today and show me videos of them throwing water into the air and it instantly freezing. Completely reminded me of the Incredibles and “Mr. Freeze”. I don’t mind the cold as long as there is snow to give the world a little extra reflective light!
Isn’t this ^^^ the most peaceful picture??
Here are a 5 simple ways I’m trying to melt away the January blues in my classroom:
Bring in lamps with a warmer wattage of lighting. Why? S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) This is an easy and low cost way to brighten up your space in the new year. After spending time with loved ones and having time away from school / work it can just be plain hard for some of our kids! (Let’s be honest-the adults too!)
Have a house plant! Enjoying a little greenery really reduces my stress levels. Some of my favorite plants that I have brought from home that are super low maintenance are peace lilies, snake plants, succulents, and ferns. This is also a fun task for some of my kids to help water and care for them. (More on that with class jobs later!)
Change up the class location. This seems rudimentary and easy (right?!) but boy does it make a difference sometimes! Reach out to your librarian to see if you can have class there. Do you have a common school or team space? I love hearing when the kids say “that was fun to have class somewhere else”. I think this helps with engagement and variety for your lessons.
Begin the year with a new book!When we ask our students to be reading and growing intellectually, I think its equally important for us to do the same. Binge that new self help book you secretly bought off Amazon. Enjoy that juicy romance novel you wouldn’t want your Grandmother to see. You get the point. Find a book that you savor and one that can help you decompress and start fresh the next day at school.