Balancing Holiday Learning & Holiday Fun

​It’s holiday season and for schools that could mean a challenging time of the year.  Students are anxiously counting down to Christmas break. Teachers are anxiously counting down to Christmas break.  Administrators are anxiously counting down to Christmas break.  Reality is reality and that’s exactly what’s happening in most schools in America this time of year.
 
Although everyone is looking forward to the much-deserved break, campus leaders must make sure some type of education continues for as long as students are in the building.  There are ways that leaders can keep the learning going in the building, but also not being a complete scrooge.
 
Leaders can encourage teachers to continue instruction, but also find a way to weave in the holiday spirit. Math teachers can use Christmas items to measure, find perimeters, and/or create a Christmas budget.  ELA teachers can read Christmas classics and dissect the literary works, students can write Christmas plays or stories, and students can write what a perfect Christmas holiday would be for them.  
 
It’s important that leaders continue to be visible during this time.  Make sure your staff, students, and parents continue to see you during morning/afternoon arrivals and dismissals.  Make your rounds to classrooms to monitor that instruction is continuing.  You might consider a challenge where you reward the teacher or grade level that does a great job of using the holiday theme in instruction.
 
Leaders can bring a little cheer to their staff members as well.  Here are just a few ideas:

• Provide a hot chocolate bar for teachers.
• Implement a “12 days of Christmas” for staff members (where teachers dress up differently each day)
• Implement a way to show kindness for the holidays.  Schedule ways to be kind each day of the week.  This could really help with campus culture.

 
What are some things you do on your campus to keep everyone motivated to keep working but also spread the holiday cheer?