12 New Year’s Resolutions for Teachers

Have you ever made a resolution that actually stuck? ‘Tis the season when the excitement of fresh beginnings leads to resolutions that, if we’re fortunate, last anywhere from about four to six days! It’s time to break that cycle. Below are 12 meaningful resolutions that teachers have embraced—and sustained—due to their impact in the classroom.

This year, I’m trying something different: rather than committing to a single resolution, I plan to adopt 12 throughout the year, each one aimed at fostering growth and improvement in my classroom. I hope these teachers’ resolutions inspire, motivate and give you the boost we all need to finish the year with a bang! Happy New Year, Teachers!

1.    Prioritize Self-Care and Well-Being

Teachers often experience high levels of stress, burnout, and mental health challenges due to the demanding nature of the profession. Prioritizing self-care can help them manage stress and remain effective in the classroom.

In 2001, a study by Kyriacou (2021) highlighted that teachers experiencing burnout are less effective in their roles and more likely to leave the profession. This research shows that teacher burnout is linked to both personal and professional outcomes. Further research found that teachers who engage in self-care practices (like exercise and relaxation techniques) are less likely to experience burnout. Creating time for self-care enhances overall job satisfaction and teacher retention, which directly benefits our students’ learning experiences. Our course, Wellness for Educators provides tools, ideas, research-backed methods that help you prioritize yourSelf… while earning credits to renew your teaching certificate

2.    Engage in Professional Development

Continuous learning is critical for teachers to stay current with new educational strategies, technologies, and research. Engaging in professional development (PD) helps teachers hone their craft and better meet the needs of their students. No one knows this better than The Teacher’s Academy!

A meta-analysis conducted by Darling-Hammond et al. (2009) found that well-designed professional development programs (those that are ongoing, collaborative, and focus on student outcomes) significantly improve student achievement. Teachers who engage in PD show improvements in teaching effectiveness, which enhances student learning. In addition, teachers who participate in professional development tend to have more confidence and job satisfaction, which improves retention rates. This is where we come in! If you need hours towards certificate renewal or simply want to learn some of the latest trends that you can apply to your classes immediately, check out our course catalog!

3.    Foster a Growth Mindset in Students

Promoting a growth mindset encourages students to believe that their abilities can improve through effort and persistence. This mindset can reduce fear of failure and increase students’ motivation to learn.

The work of Carol Dweck (2006) on the growth mindset has been widely supported by educators worldwide. Studies show that when students are taught to embrace challenges, see failures as opportunities for growth, and persist in the face of difficulties, their academic performance improves. How do we foster a growth mindset in our students? We can start by being the example. Share with your classes the parts of your life where you are still learning and growing. Show them your failures and your successes. The journey of learning never ends! No one knows this better than teachers!

4.    Update Classroom Organization

Research on classroom management found that teachers who implement organizational strategies (e.g., clear routines, labeled materials, and structured schedules) reduce disruptive behaviors and improve student focus (Emmer and Sabornie, 2015). A well-organized classroom supports better time management, reduces distractions, and allows for smoother transitions between activities. Not to mention, it just feels good to walk into a space that is inviting, clean and uniquely yours! If keeping your classroom organized is a struggle, perhaps this is the resolution for you. Start small, but be consistent. Begin with your desk- or maybe just a drawer in your desk. Try to devote 5-10 minutes at the end of the day to re-organizing a space. You might just see an improvement in and teacher engagement!

5.    Build Stronger Relationships with Students

In our course, Inspiring Ideas for the 21st Century Classroom, you meet Rita Pierson. Rita is an accomplished and dedicated teacher and in her TedTalk, she profoundly exclaims, “You don’t learn from people you don’t like.” For her, relationships are paramount to teaching. We know that developing meaningful relationships with students fosters trust, respect, and emotional safety, which are key components of a positive learning environment. Perhaps this is a good time of year to reflect on the strong relationships we have and how to connect on the ones we have yet to build.

6.    Incorporate More Technology in Teaching

I have yet to get through a school year without learning some new piece of hardware (this year it was ClearTouch screens) or software (last year it was Canvas LMS). If you are a teacher (or frankly any profession today, you can’t avoid the new tech. So we might as well embrace it. The mindset switch could be just what we need to begin integrating technology (and I mean really integrating tech) into lessons to make learning more interactive, personalized, and accessible. The Teacher’s Academy is proud to build its founding courses on Microsoft and Google Suite applications. Check them out in our course catalog to begin exploring and adopting new educational tools, from apps to online resources.

7.    Promote Diversity and Inclusion

When students feel that their cultural identities are respected and reflected in the curriculum, they perform better academically and engage more deeply in lessons. The research behind culturally responsive teaching and fostering an inclusive classroom found that these practices positively influence students’ academic self-concept, leading to higher achievement and motivation, particularly for minority students. How do we know if our classrooms are culturally responsive? How can we improve on what were are already doing?

We, at The Teacher’s Academy, believe that all teachers have a responsibility to create inclusive classrooms. We even wrote a course to help us get there! Celebrating Cultural Diversity is a professional development course designed to help teachers create a learning space where all students, regardless of their background or abilities, feel valued and supported. This involves differentiating instruction, celebrating diversity, and addressing biases. This, plus so much more can be uncovered in our course!

8. Set Boundaries for Work-Life Balance

This is one of those resolutions that we often hear or say, but it’s really quite difficult to put into practice. This profession often extends beyond our contracted hours, but we know that maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential to prevent burnout. So how do we do it? Set clear boundaries between work and personal life. Turn off any distractions during work so the time spent at work is efficient. Then when we have a moment to read, meditate, go for a walk, let’s drop the guilt. These moments make us better teachers! Ultimately, once we can find this balance, we will experience greater satisfaction and longevity in the profession.

9.    Practice Positive Classroom Management

A study by Simonsen et al. (2008) highlighted that positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS), which focus on rewarding appropriate behaviors and addressing negative behaviors with constructive feedback, reduce disruptive behavior and increase academic achievement. Additionally, Marzano et al. (2003) found that teachers who use positive reinforcement strategies (e.g., praise, rewards, and recognition) have students who are more engaged and demonstrate improved behavior. Positive classroom management involves creating an environment that promotes respectful behavior, responsibility, and accountability. This resolution focuses on using positive reinforcement, clear expectations, and proactive strategies to prevent issues before they arise.

10.                  Reflect and Adjust Teaching Practices

When I was a student teacher, I had to write a one-page reflection for every one of my daily lessons. Needless to say, when I finally got my own classroom, that was the first practice I dropped! However, now that I “reflect” on this…(see what I did there!) I believe there is a bigger purpose that I missed earlier. Hattie (2009) identified that teacher reflection has a high effect size on student achievement, as teachers who adapt based on their reflections are better able to meet students’ needs and foster a growth-oriented classroom. Perhaps I don’t need to write an entire page, but I can make small notes in my Power Point slides on on my lesson documents. Clearly, reflection and then active change to improve instructional strategies will increase student outcomes. This resolution encourages flexibility and a willingness to evolve as an educator.

By setting and actively working on these resolutions, teachers can significantly enhance their effectiveness, improve their well-being, and ultimately create a better learning experience for their students. Research consistently shows that well-supported, reflective, and motivated teachers lead to positive outcomes for both themselves and their students.

11.                  Foster Collaborative Learning Environments

Encourage and facilitate more group-based learning experiences in the classroom. According to Johnson & Johnson (2022), cooperative learning has been shown to increase student engagement, promote deeper understanding, and improve academic achievement. Collaborative learning also fosters a sense of community, which can lead to better relationships between students and a more supportive classroom environment. In the post-COVID era, I believe we learned two things: (1) Teachers have serious job security… The world needs us and not AI. and (2) Kids need to practice interacting, problem-solving and communication. How can we incorporate more collaboration into our lessons?

12.                  Incorporate Mindfulness Practices

One of our most popular courses is our Mindfulness in Education course. Here we not only teach mindful strategies for the classroom, but we also teach mindfulness strategies for YOU! Research in this area found that mindfulness practices can lead to improved attention, emotional control, and reduced stress for both students and teachers. By practicing mindfulness, teachers can create a calm, centered environment that fosters better learning outcomes and emotional well-being. How can we integrate mindfulness exercises into daily routines? Check out our Mindfulness course to learn breathing exercises, meditation, reflection and more.