4 tips for keeping students on track with learning through the holidays
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The weeks leading up to the holiday season can be chaotic for educators. Special events commonly planned for this time of year can disrupt a classroom routine, while the frequent multi-day breaks between November and January can interrupt instruction. These factors, combined with student excitement about the holidays, can make the last two months of the calendar year some of the hardest for educational progress.
Educators can create a solid foundation for continued learning once the holidays are over with careful strategizing and smart solutions. Here are a few ideas that can help students stay on track in their learning journey while enjoying the events and emotions that accompany this time of year.
1. Celebrate the season as a class
Not all year-end holidays are equally significant to all students, and not all kids who observe the holidays celebrate in the same ways.
One way to acknowledge and honor these differences is by inviting students to share their family’s holiday traditions. Allowing students who are comfortable talking about their personal celebrations to teach their peers about how and why they celebrate can foster greater cultural understanding. When introducing this activity to the class, it is important to recognize that some students may find spending time at home or with their families during the holidays unpleasant, and they may not want to participate.
Another way to celebrate the holiday season as a class is by incorporating activities that tap into the larger spirit of this time of year — gratitude and kindness. For example, writing letters to military members or senior citizens in the local nursing home enables students to work on their writing skills while spreading holiday cheer.
2. Incorporate new assignments and activities to maintain student engagement
Children thrive on stability and structure, so following a routine can keep them focused during regular instruction. However, planned school or district-wide activities in the weeks leading up to a holiday break can make it challenging for educators to maintain student attention and engagement in the classroom.
While reviewing class rules and expectations may mitigate some of the disruptive effects of holiday events, switching up the classroom routine with new assignments and activities can also help keep students engaged in learning. Examples include:
- Seasonally focused lessons or projects. Select reading assignments set during winter, give lessons on why leaves change colors or how snow forms, or assign research projects on fall or winter topics.
- Interactive instruction. Channel students’ extra energy into lessons, requiring them to move while completing classwork.
- Featured speaker presentations. Invite school alums, senior citizens, artists or other professionals with special areas of expertise to get students thinking about new topics or in new ways.
3. Partner with parents to ensure learning continues during break
Parental involvement is essential to helping students maintain their academic skills even during short school breaks. Ideas educators can share with parents that encourage the continuation of learning at home include:
- Involve your child/children in holiday meal prep. Cooking involves a variety of skills, from reading to math, especially if a recipe needs to be doubled or tripled for large gatherings.
- Ask your child/children to dig into the family’s history. Many students spend time with their extended family during holiday breaks, which can be an opportunity to continue history lessons. For example, asking a grandparent what life was like when they were a kid can make the past more meaningful.
- Provide your child/children with resources that build literacy skills. Word games or daily story time can make reading more fun, and they offer an opportunity for caregivers and other family members to participate.
Regardless of how a family celebrates the holiday season, this time of the year is usually busy, and continuing schoolwork may not necessarily be the priority. Be reasonable about any suggestions for continued learning you send home, and recognize not all students may be able to accomplish the tasks assigned.
4. Monitor student progress to combat learning loss
Compared to summer vacation, the fall and winter breaks are much shorter. Thus, the impact of learning loss on students is typically less. However, there still may be some loss of knowledge due to the time away from school.
You can get ahead of this learning loss before the school closes for break by planning instruction that reviews key content areas once school resumes. Leveraging assessments after a break can help you determine where a student is in their learning journey and whether they need support to get back on track. Adapting instruction based on the results of the assessment ensures students can continue on their journey confidently and successfully.
Keep classroom learning on track during the holiday season
The holidays may bring many distractions, but with the right strategies, educators can keep classroom learning on track while enjoying the spirit of the season. For more information about assessments that can give you the accurate and actionable data you need to ensure learning progress continues through the holiday season and beyond, visit the Pearson Assessment for Learning Suite.