Critical Skills Classroom

Learning experiences that inspire and engage.

Making space for something new

Testing is over (or almost over), the days are longer, the temps are warmer,  and notebooks, sneakers, and backpacks are being held together with duct tape and vibes.Summer’s coming! We know it before we say it out loud- students realize that the end is coming and that things are going to change.  Some may be leaving- graduating or moving to another school, others may move into different social circles. 

While we may be excited about warmer weather and a chance to take a breath from the day-to-day of the classroom, it’s not unusual to be “all up in our feels” as the kids say (or maybe the kids don’t say that anymore- who can keep up?!) After all, we’ve spent almost 250 days planning, playing, reacting, responding, worrying, hoping, and growing with our students. For some of us, the faces that leave us in May or June will return in August or September. For others, that last wave on the way out the door may be the actual last wave on the way out the door.  

If you’re familiar with Tuckman’s 5 stages of group development, you know that the group is preparing for adjourning. For many, your class has been a safety net— their community— and the potential loss of that harbor can bring out unexpected behaviors. Anxiety about what’s going to happen next can lead to regressions like tantrums and outbursts, not to mention a host of physical ailments, and soiling the nest isn’t uncommon when students are preparing to leave a familiar, safe place. Some people hate to say goodbye, and some folks may be wondering about the future. Saying goodbye is important, and it’s one of many skills that we need to be taught. The rituals and traditions that we build into our transitions can help our students learn how to make sense of goodbyes, no matter how difficult they may be. This month I’m sharing a few of my favorites, along with some links to tips, tools, and resources to help. Use these last days and weeks to reflect on and celebrate how far you’ve come and how much you’ve learned- both with your students, with your colleagues, and on your own. You all know things now that you didn’t know in the fall, and some of the knowledge was especially hard-won. Do you have a favorite end-of-year strategy? A tool, process, ritual, or tradition that you love? Let us know so we can share it with the community!I hope you’re surrounded by folks who support your growing edges- I know we’re rooting for you!
Announcement graphic over a cluttered office with open boxes; text reads 'We're moving!'

PS- Change is coming for us at Antioch New England as well. After 30+ years in our current office suite, we’re packing up and moving— just across the hall, but it’s amazing how much we’ve accumulated! So many books, so much student work, so many memories of faculty and students who moved on. If you follow us on social media (LinkedIn,  Facebook, and Instagram), you’ll get a peek into what it takes to move 30 years of stuff into a new space! 

Ideas to Connect With This Month

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