4 Reliable Ways to Hit Reset on a Rough Day of School

Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today’s episode, we’re talking about how to turn around a bad day at school.

Normally, we begin our episodes with a morning message. But this week, we had such an amazing response to our message in our Facebook group, that we decided to devote the whole episode to that discussion.

But first, it’s time for the product of the week. This week we’re highlighting our March Jargon Journal. The jargon journal program is our weekly words curriculum designed to use picture books to teach tier 2 words to your students. Heidi will you remind us how the jargon journal routine works?

I would love to. So Mondays are for introducing the four new words with the week’s read aloud book. And then over the course of the week, the students interact with the words each day and they record their thinking in a vocabulary notebook.

There’s a PowerPoint review lesson that is a perfect activity for Friday. And then there is also a brief assessment to see how well students understand the new vocabulary words.

In our March set we have jargon journal sets for the books, Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato. Love that one, always a classic. In Like a Lion Out Like a Lamb, Puddles, and That’s What Leprechauns Do. You can grab just the titles you need, the set of four books for March, or a bundle of all of our units.

The Jargon journal units are available in our store and at the link in our show notes. And we’ve been thinking about creating some new jargon journal sets for more books. So if this is something you’d be interested in seeing, let us know and let us know what books you would love to see.

We recently asked our Facebook community to share their best tips for turning around a rough day of school. We got the best, most thoughtful responses from the amazing teachers in our group. So we wanted to share their insights here with you, we should all benefit.

We’ve all had days like that, where you or your students or all of you are just in a funk. And the day just feels like you’re on the wrong foot no matter what you do.

I know sometimes on hard days, I really didn’t feel like I had the energy to do a classroom reset. And so I would just run out the clock. Sometimes all you can do is get through. But we got such great suggestions from our community, that hopefully there is something here that you can tuck in your back pocket to help you turn around the next hard day you encounter.

It really is okay if all you can do is push through. Sometimes that is just all we can manage. But slogging through to the bell may not be helping us the way we think it is. It does take effort to redirect the energy of an entire class.

But it’s also exhausting to keep pushing through when something isn’t working. That might feel like the simplest option, but in reality, your energy is just slowly being drained.

Not only that, but if we are having a rough time, our kids are having a rough time. I’m reminded of one of my favorite quotes about teaching and this is from Haim Ginott and apologies if I said that name wrong. I watched several videos trying to find the correct pronunciation, and I got an assortment, so made my best guess there.

But the quote is, “I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather.”

Oh, I remember hearing that quote when I was a new teacher and it was such a wake up call to me about the power that I hold in my classroom and the responsibility I have to wield it well.

Now an unbalanced classroom climate might not be fully our fault as the teacher. Maybe there’s a full moon. Maybe it’s the day before a break. Maybe you just have really hard kids some years are like that. Yeah.

But as a teacher, right, I call the shots. So if the weather in the room is stormy, I’m the one with the power and the obligation to bring back the sun. The kids can do it, even if they’re the ones responsible for the storm. Bless their hearts.

If our class’ engagement scale is too far into an overwhelmed side, it’s up to the teacher to increase the structure to rebalance it.

Okay, so how do we do that? I think the first thing is to remind yourself that this is a normal and expected part of teaching. Every single teacher in every single classroom has hard days, it is truly inevitable and nothing to be ashamed of.

Several years ago, my friend Betsy, Emily you know Betsy. Betsy and I were visiting London in June, and our school district, I was going out in May, so we were already in full summer mode. But the schools in England were still in session.

And so one afternoon, we passed by a school and of course, there were kids running all over the playground, their teacher was trying to get them in line and give them some directions. And it was going about as well, as you can imagine it would go the last week of school.

So after a few minutes of really trying to get them to focus, he just let out the deepest, heaviest sigh of like. And Betsy, and I just immediately burst out laughing. We were across the street, so I don’t think he could hear us.

But we recognize that sigh; it was the universal teacher sigh, it was the sound of someone about 90 seconds away from losing their mind. It reminds me that quote from Princess Bride, “That is the sound of ultimate suffering.”

It definitely feels like that at that moment. But hopefully, there is some comfort in knowing every teacher on the planet has felt that way, you are just adding a link to the noble chain of teachers down to the very last nerve.

Before we do dive into some useful tips for how to claw back from the edge, let’s talk about what not to do.

First of all, don’t dig your heels in and refuse to adjust your plans. Yes, you need to cover that math topic today or you will be behind schedule. But if you are insisting on pushing through the kids aren’t really in the zone to understand the content anyway. So adjusting your plans isn’t really putting you any further behind.

Also, don’t get too far ahead of yourself. It’s easy to start spiraling. If we’re struggling in February, how will we make it to May? We can’t solve May’s problems right now. All we can do is get through this moment.

And remember, try not to blame or criticize. Blaming the kids makes it easy to lash out and that’s gonna make it harder to solve the problem. And don’t blame or criticize yourself either. You’re doing your best.

Don’t focus on what should be instead of what is. Probably if your administration were more supportive, or you had better resources, or you had different students, everything would be easier. But you can only control what’s in your control. So we have to work with what we have.

And lastly, don’t neglect your needs. You deserve to be able to teach. If a situation is preventing you from doing that as well as you would like. It is a situation worth correcting.

So those are the no do’s. Let’s talk about the yes do’s. First step, recognize how you’re feeling. I’m not very in touch with my emotions. So I’m usually 10 steps into losing my mind before it registers. Same. But whenever those feelings come up, just acknowledge them. Yes.

And then breathe and pause. Give your prefrontal cortex a chance to reason with your panicking amygdala. That makes me want to take a breath right now. Okay, that’s nice.

Next, it’s time for a plan. What’s a reasonable way to add structure to this situation? Maybe you just need to rearrange a couple kids. Or maybe you need a full class intervention. We want to give you some tools to help you take action.

So we organize the suggestions from our Facebook group around four verbs: change, connect, create and center. And of course, they all start with the same letter because we can’t help ourselves. They don’t start with the same sound and it’s really bugging me, but English has its limits. What can I say? Sadly it does.

Okay, let’s start with the first action change. And lead things off with the verbiest verb of move. The quickest, easiest way to reset a rough day is to move. Summer from our Facebook group suggests stop what we’re doing have a little time to unwind and release builds up tension like riding around outside.

And Melinda adds music. Get them up and moving, do a brain break or Just Dance video. And Erica also recommends dancing. She says put on a dance and rock out with the kids.

And I have to say my go-to on a really rough day was having my students do Tooty Ta which if you don’t know it, look it up on YouTube. It’s the most ridiculous thing and I would do it when I was really fed up because they looked so ridiculous doing it that it just made me fall in love with them again, and so I highly recommend that one too

Movement, any kind of specialty to music will really reset the tone of a class. Besides changing what your bodies are doing, you can change where they are. Jessica recommends a change of scenery or a change of pace.

Oh yeah, I think that one can be a real game changer on a tough day. So you could try moving to a different part of the room, or even getting outside of the room, if that’s possible. And don’t be afraid to change what you’re doing.

Anna says, Stop, watch a video, take a break, tell the kids we need to reset and try again. And then we start over.

If you can’t completely change what you’re doing, try to change how you’re doing it. Maybe you are going to have the kids work as partners, but they’re going crazy. So you can always switch to having everyone work independently, or do a big pivot and just complete the work as a whole class.

Or maybe you need to change your expectations. Maybe the kids are actually getting their work done, but they’re chatting more than you’d like. Take a step back and evaluate if you’re just uncomfortable with the noise and movement, or if it really requires intervening.

Let’s say maybe the situation does call for some increased structure, though. In that case, Emily, from our Facebook group has the suggestions. Go back to the basics, retrace expectations and practice until perfect.

My class was terrible yesterday, so today, I was extra intentional with my instructions and pace. I also use Skittles to incentivize good behavior. It’s amazing what first graders will do for one Skittle.

It’s so true. I saw a meme today that said, my wife is a teacher and I think she’s using her teacher tools on me. But I do really enjoy getting one Skittle every time I’m good. So that was perfect.

And Cindy J says, be proactive about this. When you see things just beginning don’t just give a standard direction, but underlying the desired outcome while doing so.

So for example, I know my scholars will remember our carpet rules when I call your table to come to the carpet. If you heard me give a smile and if you are ready to show your best give a thumbs up.

Cindy and Emily are spot on. Reminding everyone of your expectations can go a long way toward changing what’s happening in a hard moment.

As a teacher, it’s so easy to feel locked into our plans for the day. But remember that you always have the power to change what’s happening in your classroom.

As Cindy A reminds us, we have a lot of Cindy’s in our orbit. Choose again, I say it to myself with my thoughts and feelings when the negative seeps in. And I say it to the kids when conflicts arise. We always have the choice to choose again, our attitude changes our perspective.

Oh, that’s such good advice. And that brings us to our second C Connect. Sometimes our classrooms tip into overwhelm because our kids don’t feel connected. So how do we fix that sense of disconnection?

Several teachers recommended inviting the kids to offer a solution. Tim said, acknowledged that the current plan is not working and ask for suggestions from the students about how to turn the day around.

And Julia mentioned, we gather on the carpet, take some deep breaths, talk about what’s not working and make a plan to address the issues. Then I read a book to them they love to be read to. I think this is such a great way to get things back on track, while also building the connection in your classroom.

Doing an activity as a group is a simple way to create the feeling of connection, especially an activity that provides a service. So if you can, you can just stop whatever is going on and have the kids draw pictures for the school secretary or have them make paper hearts with nice messages to stick on the door to the kitchen for the lunch workers.

Even going out to the playground and rounding up the stray soccer balls can give what’s called a helpers high. Just a few minutes of simple kindness can really go a long way. And going outside has the added bonus of getting some connection to nature, even if all you have is the grass on the soccer field.

And Cindy J. points out the long term benefits of creating connection. I embrace fixes for correcting answers in seat work to social issues on the playground. To fix is an empowered thing to do and creates an ownership of victory. This is established at the beginning of the year. We are not perfect but growing and that’s okay.

So with all that background, I announce whatever behavior needs to fix and that I trust that they can get it right. I give them limited time to do so. My call I don’t reveal when and reward the recess bank with extra minutes if the fix is successful. When the account equals a full recess, we take a bonus one.

I have many class incentives for many purposes. So being bad then good is not the only way to get recognized. It is all about community and instilling responsibility. It takes time but it works.

Besides change and connection. Our next tip to reset a rough day is to create. Bridgette mentioned using art which is a fantastic suggestion. That can be as simple as giving 10 minutes of free drawing time. You could do a directed drawing video together or pull out an art supply you don’t often use like markers.

We also want to create some fun. Laughter is always the best medicine. Angela recommends taking a break with the kids and acknowledging that the day has sucked so far. What can we do to turn it around? Then we read something funny, do a brain break and return to our day works great for me.

And Jeff says, Laffy Taffy jokes are something similar, you can’t go wrong with the classics. We include jokes and riddles in our morning messages and fluency in a flash mini lesson. So either one of those would be perfect to have on hand to create connection and fun on a rough day. And I’ll include links to both of those in the show notes.

Some other ways to create fun are to play a game together. If you have a favorite morning meeting game or inside recess game, bust it out in a crazy afternoon and use it as a way to get everyone back on track.

And if you want to create some fun, the kids would always love an extra recess, even if it’s just a mini recess. But if that’s not possible, just reading a favorite book together creates a sense of fun.

Shannon has a favorite go-to. She says when it gets bad, I love to shake our sillies out, bring the kiddos to the carpet, and read a fabulous book just because. I love the book with no pictures because the kids love it.

If you are not familiar the book with no pictures, is kid humor to like a level 11. It would be worth investing in the book just to save for those moments when you are pulling out your hair. Yeah, my kids adore the book with no pictures and they always end up just laughing their heads off.

And if you are feeling like you’re about to pull your hair out, take a moment for our last C and get centered. Kristen said it best, smile and breathe. You can even add in some centering movement. Cyndi B is all for a little bit of yoga with the class.

We used to do yoga with our preschoolers and I have such fond memories of that. My first breath is long and deep. Yoga is such a great way to get centered and calm. We have some yoga style brain breaks in our shop too. So I will link to those as well.

Or if yoga isn’t your thing, Sharon suggests stop what we’re doing and do a superhero pose, hands on hips, heads held high, take a couple of deep breaths and repeat some encouraging words. We hold the pose for a few minutes and think happy thoughts.

You can also do that power pose like with your arms big above your head. That’s another good one. Yeah, any kind of stretching really helps shift the energy to a more productive place.

And I am a big fan of using guided meditation in the classroom. You can have the kids put their heads down at their desks, or even spread out on the floor. I suggest they close their eyes. But then I don’t enforce it because some kids really don’t feel safe with their eyes closed in a room full of people.

But then once everyone is settled, I read a meditation from the Relaxed Kids book series by Marinette Vegas. I have the Wishing Star and Aladdin’s Magic Carpet. And they are both good. They have short messages with a good takeaway. But of the two books, if you’re only getting one, I think I like the Wishing Star the best. I love that idea.

And remember that one of the quickest ways to feel centered is to practice gratitude. That might mean having the kids express gratitude to each other or someone else in the school. Or maybe it’s something just for the teacher.

Doug says I remember my sole purpose for what I do. It’s all about the kids. I go to thank you notes from kids and parents for what I’ve done for them. And that’s why I teach.

Once you get to the end of that rough day, remember to take care of you. Lauren suggests go home, leave work at work and try again tomorrow. And Erica reminds us to find something to fill us back up. She says if the day is over, do what you love. Yes, I love that.

It’s so important to have things we do just because we enjoy them. And if all else fails, Krista points out that there’s always chocolate.

So to recap, remember the four C’s when confronted with a bad day. Change, connect, create and center. Should we make it five C’s and add chocolate? Oh, you know I vote yes, chocolate makes everything better.

We hope this conversation has given you some ideas for how to turn things around the next time you find yourself in a difficult day of school. If you haven’t already, make a plan for how you’ll reset a rough day. Pick an idea and write it down so that you are ready the next time your day turns south.

We’d love to hear what you do to turn around a bad day of school. Come join the conversation in our teacher approved Facebook group.

Now let’s talk about this week’s teacher approved tip. Each week we leave you with a small actionable tip that you can apply in your classroom today. This week’s teacher approved tip is make a rough day emergency kit.

So as we mentioned, and as I’m sure you know, every teacher faces hard days. But just think how relieved you would be to have a literal kit at hand that you could pull out to reset a rough day.

As Emily and I have been prepping this episode, I just keep thinking of one of the girls in my neighborhood. She’s away at college now, but she’s just a couple of semesters away from stepping into her own classroom. And I think I want to put together a rough date emergency kit for her.

I think maybe one of those like Sterilite latch boxes, not the giant ones, just the size that’s like about a foot long and only like three inches high. Because that would be easy to store. But it would still fit like picture books and some yoga cards and always some chocolates. I’ll have to think about what else to include.

I know now you’ve got my wheels turning. I know I I’ve really been thinking about this. I’ve got a little while. So if you have any ideas, please let us know over in the teacher approved Facebook group, it would be great to have an idea bank that we could all benefit from.

Yeah, maybe we’ll have to share it here on the podcast if we get some good responses perfect.

To wrap up the show we’re sharing what we’re giving extra credit to this week. Heidi, what are you giving extra credit to this week?

My extra credit is going to body butter. And that was just a weird thing to say out loud. Our mom was so sweet. And she got us each Advent calendars from The Body Shop. They were so fancy too. And the surprise on December 25 was an avocado body butter. I’ve been using it all winter and I don’t think my hands have ever been so happy in the winter.

I don’t think I’ve used that one yet. Gotta get on it. Yes, you do. It’s okay. Avocado is not a cent that I would have picked out. But I’ve noticed it’s really it’s not strong at all. Which is good because I’m real picky about lotions scents.

I used to get body shop products all the time. Emily probably remembers that, I do. But then, you know, I just stopped going to malls and I sort of forgot about the body shop. So this has been a very pleasant reintroduction. Love it. And if you do have dry hands, use some body butter. Yeah.

Emily, what is your extra credit this week? Well, I’m giving extra credit to Heidi, for the gifts she gave me for Christmas. So if you’ve been listening for a while, you may have heard me say that I wanted to make an effort to see more movies in the theater. It’s an experience I really enjoy, but I find it hard to make time to do it.

For Christmas, Heidi gave me a movie pass to our local theater. So every month I get two tickets to go see any movie I want. And the tickets expire. So it’s really going to help me make sure I actually go do something fun. Instead of working all the time, which when I have the time to see a movie, I’m much more likely to be like, Oh, well, but I have this thing I need to do.

But this expiration date on these tickets will, I think helped me a lot. I’ve already been to two movies in the theater since Christmas, which is a lot for me lately. So it’s been really great way to help me have more fun in my life. And I have tickets that are going to expire soon Heidi so we better get to the movies.

I know I’ve been thinking about like what we want to go see. It’s kind of a quiet time at the theater. But I’m glad you’re enjoying this gift and it also doesn’t benefit me in any way. If you’re lucky enough to receive the invite. If that’s true, it’s not a given.

That’s it for today’s episode. Try out one of these suggestions the next time you need to turn around a difficult day of school. And don’t forget our teacher approved tip to create your own reset a rough day kit.

Did you know that recommendations from friends are the way that most people find new podcasts? If you enjoyed this episode, we would love if you shared it with a teacher friend who might enjoy it as well. And be sure to check out our show notes for links to anything we mentioned in this episode.