This may be the season of goodwill and celebration, but the run-up to the holidays is challenging for teachers. While friends who aren’t teachers might be winding down and indulging in festive treats, you’re still marking and lesson planning. With the holidays around the corner, balancing the festive spirit with maintaining classroom focus can be overwhelming.
Take a deep breath, the finish line for the autumn term is within reach. We know you’re counting down the days to the end of term when you’ll have the chance to unwind and let teaching stresses fade away. But before that well-earned break comes, there’s still the small matter of navigating these final days in the run-up to Christmas.
As Christmas approaches, it’s easy for classrooms to become filled with festive excitement. This can sometimes lead to distractions. Yet, there are strategies to keep the class engaged and focused on learning. All while incorporating seasonal activities.
Balancing fun and structure during the final weeks
Managing behaviour towards Christmas can be particularly challenging as excitement and anticipation build. Consistency is essential in classroom management. As school holidays approach, stick to established routines and expectations. Pupils thrive on predictability, so don't let the excitement lead to a lax approach to classroom rules. Reiterate your classroom expectations and consequences for misbehaviour. Ensure your class understands the rules and the importance of adhering to them, even when the end of term is near. Recognise and reward positive behaviour like you usually do. Use praise, small incentives, or a classroom rewards programme to motivate pupils to exhibit good behaviour.
Don’t let Christmas come too early
Some pupils will moan daily that you haven’t switched to Christmas mode yet. Stay determined not to say the C-word until those final few lessons with each class. Until then, stay focused on the curriculum and ensure more reluctant learners don’t mistake your festive restraint for leniency.
Incorporating festive fun into classes
When you move into Christmas mode, incorporate activities that enable the class to share their holiday customs. With a packed curriculum, finding time to plan and deliver seasonal activities can be challenging. Embrace the festive spirit by planning fun and educational activities related to the season. These could include crafting, decorating, or organising an end-of-year quiz within the classroom. This quiz should be on a topic you’ve been teaching, with a festive twist.This can help channel pupils' excitement, creating a good classroom atmosphere while supporting behaviour management.
Festive resources to keep learning fun
To make it simpler for you to bring some festive fun into the end of term, here are one-off lesson ideas and activities to help keep pupils engaged and learning.
Early Years
Paper plate Christmas tree craft
Christmas picture and word colouring sheets
English
GCSE-style writing prompts have images reflecting aspects of the festive season. GCSE English students can get creative and refine their writing skills.
Maths
Christmas calculations to bring the festive spirit into the classroom. Suitable for KS3 and Year 7.
Science
The Reindeer Lava Lamp combines simple materials and engaging experimentation to explore density and chemical reactions. This festive science activity is ideal for incorporating STEM into Christmas-themed lessons. Watch here: https://youtu.be/-1-xbn5y6no
Christmas around the world
This BBC Teach assembly explores traditions from different countries, including Mexico, Japan and Finland. It offers an inclusive way to explore how different cultures mark the festive season. The assembly encourages thoughtful discussion on traditions, celebrating differences and creating a sense of belonging.
Create collaborative projects and reflect on learning
Encourage learners to review what they've learned throughout the term to reinforce key concepts and identify areas where they need further understanding. Promote group work and collaborative projects to enable teamwork. This way, the class can learn from each other. Group work projects have holistic benefits for learning. The freedom to chat and collaborate with their peers will give pupils the wellbeing boost they need at the end of term.
Work together with colleagues
Now isn’t the time to reinvent the wheel or spend excessive hours on planning. Instead, if you’re an experienced teacher, tap into your teaching experience. Bring out the tried-and-tested festive lessons that promote a calm and focused learning environment.
Don’t be afraid to collaborate with colleagues across the department to share resources and expertise. This might help if you are an ECT. Why exhaust yourself when there’s a wealth of knowledge – and the ideal festive lesson plans – just a teacher away?
Ending on a positive note
The final days of the term will still be hectic. But with the right balance of structure, festive activities, and collaboration, you can maintain focus. You can even embrace the holiday spirit. Routines, creative lesson ideas, and collaboration with colleagues can make this time productive. And enjoyable for you and your class. The most important bit? No DVD (aka rolling TV on wheels) is in sight!
