Looking for a way to spread some holiday joy for a teacher friend or an up and coming teacher?
It’s easy - this time of year the craft stores have a variety of advent calendars to personalize. I decided to make a couple of New Teacher Advent Calendars to give as grand prizes at the end of conference presentations I was giving for pre-service teachers.
Supplies:
- 1 Advent Calendar with 24 boxes or doors
- 30 Tips for Student Teachers cut in strips - choose 24 and put one in each box and/or
- The ABC’s for First Year Teachers cut into strips and divide up for the 24 boxes
- 24 individually wrapped chocolate - a necessary treat! Place one in each box.
How to Use:
Each day in December your colleague can open a box, have a little chocolate treat, and receive a helpful tip for the student teacher or new teacher.
After the holiday season you can repurpose these advent calendars for the classroom! How about putting writing prompts in each box, or a problem to solve, or a kindness challenge. It can even become part of an escape room activity! Let your creativity go wild - your students will LOVE it!
So spread some holiday cheer in December then keep the enthusiasm going for learning all throughout the yearl Have fun with the idea. Wishing you the very BEST in all of your creative adventures with your students.
Happy Teacher Encouraging to All!
Cindy Ollendyke is a proud member of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year. She currently serves as the Immediate Past President of the National State Teachers of the Year - PA Chapter. Cindy has 35 years experience, teaching high school and middle school science in the Peters Township School District in McMurray, PA. She believes in giving back to the teaching profession and considers herself a “Teacher Encourager.” her goal is to encourage and uplift ALL teachers and support our next generaltion of educators. Our students deserve the very BEST instructors in their classroom!
Photos courtesy of the author. In the photos: Allison Peschel (pictured with the author) and Laura Glawe. Both Alison and Laura are elementary education majors and attend Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, PA.
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