Tips for Finishing the School Year Strong
You’re almost there! Follow these these tips for finishing the school year strong.
How to Finish the School Year Strong
The end is in sight…and students know it!
How do you keep kids focused and dedicated to the last days of school?
Try these tips and tricks for finishing the school year strong.
8 Tips for Finishing the School Year Strong
Try one, two, or all of these tips to keep your students giving their best effort until the last day of school.
Encourage, Encourage, Encourage
You set the tone. Are you encouraging your students to keep at it?
Point out how far they have come; don’t emphasize the ways they are currently falling short.
When you emphasize their work up to that point, you can encourage them to maintain that level of focus to the very end.
When you see effort, praise it! Emphasize a growth mindset.
Challenge Students with Engaging Activities
You don’t need to coast until the end of the year. In fact, that is the last thing you should do.
Find ways to challenge your students’ creativity and problem-solving skills.
Make lessons more engaging with hands-on activities.
Collaborate with other teachers or blend subjects with project-based learning.
Use A Range of Assessment Methods
At this stage in the school year, diversify your forms of assessment.
If you lean on traditional assessment, try authentic assessment.
Give oral and written feedback. Point out what the student does well, and identify a single, concrete way for them to improve their next assignment.
Provide Rubrics
As students’ focus wanes, you will need to identify the steps they should take to complete an assignment thoroughly.
This is where rubrics come in.
A rubric clearly shows the student exactly what needs to be done in order to complete an assignment.
If they follow the rubric, they will score well on the assignment. Not only does this help the student, but it makes grading simpler for you.
Have Students Set Short and Long-Term Goals
At this point in the year, students struggle to stay motivated.
You can help them recapture that dedication by asking them to set short and long-term goals.
(The best goals are S.M.A.R.T. Read more about that here.)
For short-term goals, have them identify the habits they want to maintain or renew for the end of the school year.
Are there specific milestones they would like to hit before the end of the year?
Have them contemplate long-term goals as well. What would they like to accomplish next year?
Show students the link between this moment’s effort and next year’s achievement. How can they lay the groundwork for that future success?
Highlight and Celebrate Achievements
A little positive reinforcement goes a long way.
Your students have worked hard to get to this point.
Recognizing that fact does not lessen their current commitment; it boosts morale and inspires them to press on!
Now is the time to give kudos, hand out certificates, highlight a student of the week, and celebrate together.
Loop in Parents
If you are a classroom teacher, parents are your partners!
Communicate with parents about what is going well and where their student can improve.
Provide them with specifics on how they can come alongside their student to help them finish well.
Review, Review, Review
In the student’s mind, September was eons ago.
Summarize and review key concepts from the year to ensure your students are moving on to the next year with confidence and competence!
This will help them make a smooth transition to the next grade.
How to Keep Students Engaged at the End of the Year
There is no doubt about it. Spring fever is real!
But you can help your students finish the school year strong by following these tips.
Finishing the school year strong is possible for both you and your students!
