Reinvigorate Your Classroom for a New Semester

Returning to school after a holiday break can be an exciting time, but not every student may be the most enthusiastic learner. Therefore, we’ve collected some ideas to help you reinvigorate your classroom for a new semester, helping students to focus and get excited about learning.

Have a Clear Plan and Purpose

What works for your classroom – and what doesn’t? Making changes to your classroom for greater engagement and participation includes self-reflection. Do your students doze off during slide presentations? Consider limiting slides only to pieces of information that you need students to remember verbatim or for an impact during a lecture. Or maybe students become too engaged, and instead of presenting new material, the class period is more of a free-for-all discussion. Looking at what is and isn’t effective can help you inject new life into your classroom.

Indulge in Early Spring Cleaning

The feeling of a clean home bringing peace is the same in the classroom, too. Clear the clutter, organize the papers on your desk, and do some deep cleaning. Make sure that posted papers are current, and once you’ve got your classroom clean, keep it clean – and maybe even invest in a scented air freshener to match the season. Your students will definitely notice, and the cleanliness may help them focus. Get started with this checklist today!

Get Out of Your Rut!

It can be easy to get stuck in a rut, especially for middle and high school teachers. Elementary school teachers may opt to change their décor with different subjects throughout the year, but many single-subject teachers may end up becoming overly-comfortable with the same presentation methods. Changing the way that you present material, from PowerPoint presentations to an engaging lecture to class-focused participation, can add excitement to routine education.

Focus On the Flow

Does the layout of your classroom help students engage with one another for classes that are more discussion focused? For subjects where the material is presented directly, such as math or science, can everyone see the slides or the board? Moving desks into a circle can help facilitate group discussions, such as in a literature or civics class, while spacing out rows of desks can ensure that everyone can see example problems in a math class without uncomfortably shifting around to see. Look at your class from the student’s perspective, including extra room for social distancing, and rearrange accordingly.

Inspire Yourself

Sprucing up the classroom isn’t the only way that teachers can invigorate themselves for a new semester. Expanding your knowledge and expertise through online professional development units for teachers from a reputable Texas continuing education program can help you become a more well-rounded teacher and develop skills to make you more confident. The Teachers Academy offers an array of online certifications and courses to help you become the best teacher you can be — all from the comfort of your own home.