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Small Ways to Maximize Time in the Classroom

Issue 3 I Spring 2024

Ways to Measure—and Treasure—a School Year

We asked teachers: What do you do at the end of the year to help students reflect on their growth? Not surprisingly, many of the activities they described include keepsakes to send home to share with families. Read on for ideas—then tell us what you do!

Then vs. Now

My kindergarten students write their names and draw self-portraits at the beginning of the year and again at the end of the year. We put them side-by-side and notice how our skills have grown!

You can honor the spirit—and impact—of this activity even if you teach an upper grade level or no longer have copies of a specific assignment to repeat. Invite students to flip through their writing or math notebooks and notice how much longer the entries have become—that might mean their stamina for composition or problem-solving has grown. Maybe their handwriting is more legible—or has changed from manuscript to cursive!

Letters to Future Students

My students write letters to next year’s class: what they loved most, what tips or advice they’d give, etc. Then for the first day of school, I hang those letters in the hallway. Former students love reading them as much as new students do!

Encourage students to put great care into the content of their letters by treating it like a mini unit of study in writing. You can demonstrate ways to brainstorm ideas and respond to prompts to uncover details and nurture themes, then allow students to begin drafting their letters. Make the final drafts special by using stationery or decorating envelopes and placing all final copies in a “mailbox.”

Affirmation Gallery Walk

I put each student’s picture on a slide, print, and hang them. Then we have a gallery walk and write something we’ve appreciated about the classmate on their page. Students take home originals. I keep copies and make a class memory book.

This confidence-building activity helps students celebrate and remember the community they created together. You can even designate a special basket or bookshelf to display the memory books for future classes to see—and feel part of a tradition.

Stick With It

I ask students to write “what will stick with them” about this year on sticky notes. Then we add all the sticky notes to a bulletin board and talk about them together.

A visual collage of memorable lessons and “aha” moments is not only ideal for reflection but also an excellent springboard into the next school year. During discussion, you can help students think about how “what stuck” can serve them in the future.

Time Capsule

I ask students to write about their favorite activity from the year. Originals go home with students, but first I save a copy for the time capsule the student gets when they graduate or leave our school.

If a time capsule that is built over many years is not possible for your school, consider other ways you might help students revisit their favorite memories at a future time.

You might collaborate with teachers in the next grade level to distribute copies on a special day the following year, or hand-deliver or mail copies to students at a future date—all at once or in small batches at a time—with a personal note of encouragement attached from you.

Memory Pages

I give students a memory page to complete. It includes reflection about growth—what did you work hard on, what can you do now that you couldn’t at the start of the year—as well as a place to set a goal for the future.

We love this idea so much that we created a free template for you to use in your own classroom! Download your School Year Memories printable now. It’s ready to use today!

Share Your Favorite Activity

What does your class do to reflect on their learning? We’d love to hear your ideas, too! Share photos and favorite reflection activities with us at TheHive@zaner-bloser.com.

Looking for more ways to be mindful?