5 Ways to Finish

Spring has arrived and the final quarter of the school year is here. Whether you live in the northeast or the southwest, students and teachers know that the seasons have changed and this school year is quickly coming to a close.

With each day passing there is an opportunity in front of us as educators that we cannot dismiss. It happens every year and we see it around us. Many times it happens within us. Either we raise our game and put the throttle down and finish strong or we simply take our foot off the gas and go on autopilot and coast until that final bell.

Here are five ways to finish the year that is best for students and best for you. As educators we have invested countless hours in planning, delivering and embracing the opportunities of each school day. Now that the final months have arrived, here is our opportunity to deliver some of the most powerful lessons of the year. With that, consider these tips to stay dialed in.

1. Stay Focused. Seasons have changed and it is getting greener. While we hear the birds chirping and see the flowers blooming, remain focused on the lessons yet to be taught. Make sure your learning targets are clear, your lessons are rich with student engagement and you are intentional with your assessments. Measure learning NOT material. This time of year you can get more from your students than at any other point. Keep yourself focused and the impact you will make will be obvious.

2. Relationships Still Come First. You have spent 8 months building upon the relationships that come to your classroom each day. Your students are hanging on every word that you speak and believe in you now more than ever before. This is your opportunity to dive into some learning and really draw from them their passion to grow. Be intentional in your instruction and use the relationships that you have fostered to push the limits of teaching and learning.

3. Grow Yourself. Recently a conversation arose about teachers and professional development toward the end of the school year. Educators are exhausted and administrators are attempting to find balance between allowing for that space to breath while still expecting best practices and growth among their staff. The reality is this, we never stop learning. As an educator you should be pushing yourself professionally as much in April as you did in August. There is no "down time" and there is no break in learning. Model this with your students. Show them that growth happens year round.

4. Check Your Goals. Remember when you sat down created your SMART goals to start the year? This is the time to assess where you are and ensure you have put the effort into accomplishing each and every one of those. If you have not been able to complete what you intended to start, time to get busy. Goals are set for a reason and if you haven't reached them, do not abort your passion to do so, simply find a way to get to the finish line and lean on others for support and guidance.

5. Celebrate. We have worked hard. Knowing we have spent hours upon hours of preparation and delivery and now comes the reality that the year is coming to an end. The relationships you have formed have paid off in the expectations you have set of others. Whether as a classroom teacher, a building administrator or a district office leader, find balance in the push to the end while ensuring that there is celebration of the organizations accomplishments. Just like a graduation ceremony for seniors, include the pomp and circumstance for even the youngest of our students. Celebrate your efforts and the efforts of those around you.

Everything we do in education begins and ends with the interactions we have with others. Our role is to ensure that it is those purposeful and intentional relationships that will drive the successes we experience throughout the entire school year. As you wrap up your academic year remember to finish strong. Avoid going on autopilot and make the most of each moment of each day.

Finish.

At Weaver Middle School in Hilliard, OH, we truly believe that relationships are at the core of what we do. We also know that relationships alone will not make our students or our teachers successful. As educators we also must build skill, have trust in one another and be open to feedback of instructional best practices.

Below is a letter I wrote to my staff to share the importance of finishing the year strong. The events are precisely as they occurred. The facts, the names and the situation are 100% authentic. Our own lives and the events that happen are often times the most impactful vehicle to help us grow as leaders and learners. Here is an open letter to my teachers at WMS. 

Teachers -

This morning I was dropping Aidan off for school (7^th grader at HMS) and he asked me a rather random, and what I thought was an odd question to say the least.

He asked, “Do I have to go to school the last week?” (Meaning the final four days. Keep in mind it is only May 9th.)

I paused. I thought of my reply. I simply said what any parent would say to that question and replied, “Yes, yes you do.”

In the final moments of the drive I went ahead and braved the question I somewhat dreaded to ask, “Why don’t you want to go?”

He simply said, “We don’t do anything. The teachers show us movies and just keep us busy. We don’t learn anything.”

Wow. I thought to myself. That is pretty straight-forward answer from a 13 year-old 7^th grader.

There is some back story that adds to this. For those that don’t know Aidan, here you go:

• When he was in third grade we made the tough decision of treating his ADD through medicine. 
• With that we have experienced all that comes with it. Appetite, mood-swings and more.
• What we gained in return though was a clinical case of a focused kid. He went from dreading school to having a new found love for it.
• He is a straight “A” student. Not one single B the entire year. Impressive, I know. 
• And, we never saw a lick of homework, ever. (Not because he didn’t have it because he sure did. Instead, he had a sense of time-management. He knew that in order to get the videos he would have to work first.)
• He is a kid (as awkward has he might be) who found his way to enjoy school instead of avoiding it.

So, why do I share all this with you? Well, I challenge you to this:

First, I strongly suggest that you set aside time to celebrate the year. Celebrating is a must! It gives us a chance to throw our hands up in knowing we have worked hard. And, because we worked hard, we get to play hard. So again remember, work hard, play hard! We have a few events planned for that:

• 8^th grade goes to the park on the 31^st.
• 7^th grade teams have their team activity (also on Tuesday).
• Honors Nights! (Yes, TWO of them!)
• Author visit on the 18th with Candice Fleming
• Student-staff basketball game on the 27th

And secondly, and equally important:

• Stay focused on learning.
• Avoid the movie trap. Don’t show them. Not even if you can connect it to content. (They watch enough as it is.)
• Avoid yearbook signing time. (That is our generation more than theirs.)
• And teach (and learn) until the #lastbell.

I know you need to get grades in and you are excited to start your summer. Me too. But the reality is that kids will come to us until June 3^rd. And, we need to teach them up until the final bell, on the final day of the year.

Remember we have lots of other great activities too that you can help promote and be a part of. This year we will be collecting donations for the student-staff basketball game, 8^th Grade Leadership Academy kids will be participating in an activity on Wednesday, June 1^st  and more. So, on those days, plan accordingly. Suggestions for that final day(s) may include: a goal reflection activity, encourage kids to think about their summer growth, create and play Kahoot review games, and more.

I am truly excited for all that has been accomplished this year and I look forward to an amazingly strong finish!

For Aidan’s sake, and all of the others out there, please continue to share your amazing abilities to connect with kids and teach them all of the lessons you have yet to do so.

With gratitude,

Craig