Teachers, now is a great time to remember the virtue of patience.  As you already know, it is quite normal to see an increase in the number of crazy behaviors around this time of the year.  With summer approaching, students sense their routines will soon change, and for some this change causes stress and anxiety.

This is especially the case for students who deal with a lot of change in their lives outside our classrooms.  For these students the school environment is the most stable aspect of their lives.  So currently (and unconsciously) their brains are anticipating the upcoming disruption in routine which can trigger survival responses manifested through disruptive behaviors.

My advice?  To the best of your ability model calm and keep a consistent routine in your classroom.  Also, be patient, understanding, and flexible.  I might as well add “super-human” to the list, but I feel certain you have already mastered this trait given all the events of this past year.

Use this last month of school to strengthen relationships through encouragement and positive interactions. The brain best remembers beginnings and endings, so end on a positive note you want your students to hang on to as they move into the summer months and beyond.