The countdown is on. You’ve got 2-3 weeks left before winter break, and you’re riding the post-Thanksgiving juice while staring down the most wonderful—and chaotic—time of the year.
It’s that unique mix of midterms or finals to plan for, grades to finalize, and the seemingly endless admin tasks to check off, from signing off on observation notes to finally watching that bloodborne pathogens video you’ve been putting off since August 👀. Oh, and let’s not forget the holiday party you might attend, those student performances or games you swore you’d make it to, and the family matters calling for your attention.
It’s a lot. And then there’s that super awkward time—2-3 days before the final day—when grades are closed, kids are checked out (half of them are not even physically there), and you’re running on fumes. What do you even do with them?
It’s tempting to just throw on a movie and call it a day (I ain't judging cause I've definitely done that too many times to count 😅), but this is also a prime time to solidify the relationships you’ve worked so hard to build, especially if you have semester-long classes that end in January and students you won't get to see in your class again 🥹
Here’s the thing: Simple and meaningful is your mantra.
These last 10-15 days don’t need to be complicated. In fact, trying to overachieve right now will just leave you more stressed. I wanted to share three reminders that have helped me keep my sanity before.
1. You Don’t Have to Grade Everything
Say it with me: Not everything needs a grade. One more time for those of you eye twitching right now: Not everything needs a grade. 🧘♀️
If you’re behind on grading, I triple-dog dare you to pick 2-3 assignments and delete them from the grade book. Poof. Those are now practice assignments. You’re not a bad teacher for doing this. You’re human. Prioritize what truly needs your attention and let the rest goooo, Elsa-style.
2. Rethink That Final Assignment
Does it have to be an essay? If so, can you shrink it down to 3-4 paragraphs instead of a full-blown five-paragraph, five-sources Leviathan? Or better yet, how about a two-paragraph written response paired with something creative? Consider options like:
✏️ A Bloom Ball (each panel analyzing a different aspect of the text)
✏️ A Literary Mosaic (students illustrate and explain quotes that represent a theme or character)
✏️ Hexagonal Thinking patterns (connecting key ideas visually)
✏️ Character Layers (like a character “doll” with analysis under each layer)
✏️ A Theme Collage (a visual representation of a central idea in the text)
✏️ A Seminar/Class Discussion (based on a class text with a post-seminar writing task)
Read my other blog post about running seminars - with accompanying resources - here!
These are engaging, manageable, and let’s be real—way less boring than another stack of essays to grade. My favorite thing about any of those projects - you can customize them fully to meet your needs + classroom goals.
If you don't have wiggle room and it does have to be an essay, think about how you can make the end-of-term grading easier on yourself. Have you tried mini-conferencing before? It can be a game-changer. As students draft their essays, set aside time to meet with them individually for a few minutes. You can interact with and provide feedback on key sections of their essays in real-time. By the end, you'll have interacted with and even graded a little bit of each student's essay.
Additionally, if students submit their final drafts digitally, I highly recommend platforms like Brisk (a Google Chrome extension) and CoGrader as your personal grading assistants.
3. Plan for Those Awkward Final Days
Once grades are done, you’ll need something low-key but valuable to fill those last days. Think activities that are a little more than coloring sheets (or not!), but that don’t necessarily require grading, and more importantly, don't require your show-time facilitation. A few ideas:
🪄 Host a literary film day (yes, this is just movie day with a fancy title 🤪) with a purpose —Watch a movie adaptation of a class text and have students compare it to the original. Orrr run a few episodes of Wednesday on Netflix - my students loved ending the semester with this.
🪄 Run a “Thank You, Next” reflection activity, where students write about what they’ve learned, what they’re leaving behind, and what they’re taking forward. Put on some winter Lo-fi or ASMR in the background, and it's automatic cozy vibes!
🪄 Assign a few interactive digital or print activities, winter-themed of course — these give students a chance to decompress, while having a little fun, and chilling with each other while completing low-stakes, SEL-infused work, like these Grinch-themed slides, or this OG winter fun one. I also have a fun advent calendar that houses those 2 and 10 other engaging resources to get you to winter break and beyond, here 🤗
4. Be Kind to Yourself 💛
This time of year is exhausting, but it’s also a chance to reflect on the incredible work you’ve done so far.
You’ve shown up for your students, built connections, and navigated challenges. Take a moment to celebrate you. Whether that means saying no to an obligation or treating yourself to something nice after school, give yourself some grace.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s survival—with a little bit of joy sprinkled in. You’ve got this!
🍾 Bonus! - Plan and prep what you’re doing the first day back from break.
I know, I know—you’re thinking, ain’t noooo way I’m planning for one more thing, but hear me out. Your future self will deeply thank you. Having that first day locked and loaded means you can actually enjoy your break without the dread of post-vacation planning hanging over your head.
Need something - this has been a best-seller fave two years in a row for a reason! Don't forget to review class expectations first, though (accompanying freebie) 🤗
Take a deep breath, finish strong, and head into winter break knowing you did enough—and that you are enough.
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