Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables famously said, 鈥淚鈥檓 so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.鈥� But in education, October can be a hard, sometimes grueling month.
The excitement that comes with the start of the school year has faded, work has started to pile up, and classroom management and lesson plans may start going awry. There might not be any school breaks this month, making the days and weeks feel even longer. And to top it off, it鈥檚 the start of cold and flu season.
Ellen Moir, the founder of the New Teacher Center, a nonprofit that works to strengthen beginning teachers鈥� practice, deemed the stretch of time between mid-October and Thanksgiving break for new teachers, but veteran teachers struggle with this time period, too.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very, very long stretch while you鈥檙e tired,鈥� Roxanna Elden, an author and former teacher, told Education Week last year. "[You鈥檙e] hitting the wall, you can barely make it through the week, and there are just endless weeks [of the school year] ahead of you.鈥�
(Of course, not all teachers agree that October is the toughest month of the year. See what other months teachers think are the most challenging and why.)
Education Week asked its social media followers to share how they plan to beat the October blues this year. These responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Stay connected with students and build those relationships
鈥淜eep your lessons engaging!! This is the time to truly bust out things to catch the students鈥� interest. Fall, football, Pirate Day, Halloween. Even high school kids like this. Further, build deeper on relationships. Talk to your students a bit more and truly get to know them at this time. It will pay off come wintertime!鈥�
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鈥淥ne creative strategy is to conduct check-ins with students. One example is to use a 鈥楩eelings Wall.鈥� Create a designated space in your classroom where students can express their emotions through sticky notes or drawings. Encourage them to share how they鈥檙e feeling at the start of each week. This visual representation fosters community, allows for peer support, and opens up opportunities for discussion.鈥�
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鈥淪tay focused on goals with students and what matters to authentic, engaged learning. Don鈥檛 let the outside noises in. Stay steady and joyful! Make time for early celebrations in student gains.鈥�
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Prioritize mental health and work-life balance
鈥淗ave a holiday booked for October half term.鈥�
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鈥淎t your lunch break, take a walk outside the school building for fresh air (mental health break).鈥�
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"[Book a] strategically placed mental health day.鈥�
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Keep a sense of humor
鈥淐ount down to Thanksgiving break. 馃槀"
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鈥淐arbs and baked goods.鈥�
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And here鈥檚 how this teacher is beating the October blues:
鈥淲ith a stick.鈥�
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