It’s official! Winter has arrived and will be sticking around for several more weeks! Here are a few suggestions to keep you warm, happy, and teaching through the winter months:
- It’s cold and flu season, so watch out for those germs! Use disinfectants on door knobs, often-used items around the room, and anti-bacterial lotion for your hands. Keep boxes of facial tissues on hand, as students will go through them quickly. (It might be a good time to  request a few boxes from parents.)
- Messy weather also brings messy items into your classroom. You’ll have snow and slush tracked in, so be ready for spur-of-the-moment clean ups.
- Cold weather also means more winter coats, hats, mittens, and other gear to keep track of and store through the day, so develop a system that allows easy access for recess or at the end of the day, yet keeps them out of your day during class time.
- Allow extra time for bundling up younger students! Parents and guardians will appreciate that you spent that extra time making sure their children were protected as they head to a school bus or walk home.
- For your own well being, be sure to layer your clothing, since schools often can shift from too cold to too warm on a day-to-day basis. Store an extra sweater or jacket in a closet just in case.
- Allow yourself extra time to get to your school. Sacrificing a few extra minutes of a morning can save you time by helping you avoid a fender-bender.
Once you get your winter system in place, you can fine-tune it and take whatever winter throws your way in stride!