New Year, New Us: The Gift of Two “New Years” for Teachers

Two fresh starts mean twice the opportunity to grow and adapt.

JACQUI STOLZER
Senior Professional Development Coach​
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​At one of my partner schools where I facilitate PD on a weekly basis, we’ve been engaging in an inquiry cycle on strategic grouping, digging into questions of when to use different types of student groups, and how to design learning tasks and experiences that utilize their distinct benefits. At the end of one of our first sessions on the topic, one teacher’s exit ticket reflection caught my eye. It was something along the lines of, “I struggle to get students to move their seat for strategic groups; I can’t imagine asking them to move groups multiple times a week.” As I continued to scan the exit tickets, I realized that this teacher was not alone; several teachers expressed similar challenges or asked for suggestions for cultivating the classroom culture, as well as the rituals and routines, around student groups. I realized my mistake: I dove right into the conceptual and pedagogical elements of strategic grouping without discussing the conditions or mechanics that make it possible.

I knew there were many teacher leaders in the building who use strategic grouping on a weekly — if not daily — basis, and who might be able to share some great tips with their colleagues. So, at the top of the next week’s session, I asked teachers to turn and talk about this common challenge. During the whole-group share out, one of the teacher leaders raised her hand. She shared something along the lines of: “Assigned seating is already part of the culture of my classroom. Students know from the beginning of the year that I choose the groups to help them meet their goals, and they can expect to change them often.” 

I looked to the faces of the teachers who had expressed concern, and I could recognize a mixture of understanding and disappointment. Of course this made sense, but what did this mean for them? It was the beginning of December; those early weeks of school where routines and expectations are typically set were a distant memory. I was called back to my first year of teaching, when I often felt I was continually making up for the “mistakes” I made in my first month: lack of clear expectations or procedures, or procedures or routines that were overly complicated or unsustainable. Next year, I’ll do it this way, was an oft-repeated mental phrase. 

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January works well, too

​But while it’s true that September is an ideal time to apply the lessons learned from past teaching, we don’t have to wait until then. The academic calendar gifts us with many opportunities to reset, perhaps most notably, the winter holiday break, after which we come back in a new calendar year. It can be a great time to shift a policy or procedure, re-communicate expectations, or otherwise try something new. 

If you decide that the top of the calendar year is the right time for you, here are a few practical tips:

Name the shift explicitly for students.
Students can’t adjust to what they don’t know is happening. Something short, simple, and clear will do: “I’ve been reflecting on our homework policy, and we’re going to make a small tweak in 2025.” 

Frame it in terms of your students’ learning.
Doing so will remind students that your top priority is their success, and that you try to make decisions that serve them. It will also set a positive tone for the new year. Something like: “this new policy around late homework will ensure that you’re doing the work at a time when it still feels meaningful and relevant to class discussions.” 

If possible, give them a heads up.
Many of us feel safe when we know what to expect; many of us feel ill at ease when a change is sprung on us without notice. Whenever possible, give students advance notice. “The new policy will go into effect when we come back from holiday break.” Or, “when we come back on Monday, you’ll notice the seating chart is different.” 

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​As educators, we plan a lot. But, it’s hard to plan for challenges you don’t anticipate, and it’s hard to anticipate every challenge — especially if you’re new to the profession and don’t have as many years of experience to draw from. If we wait until a new school year to make changes, our classes might miss out on opportunities for meaningful learning or community. The new calendar year is another wonderful time to make changes based on what you’ve learned. 

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