3 Simple Ways to Cure Spring Fever in the Classroom

Keeping yourself and your students focused and engaged in the classroom can be challenging as the weather warms up and the days get longer. This phenomenon, known as “spring fever,” can lead to decreased productivity and increased distractions, creating a classroom management nightmare. And you need a spring fever cure…

That’s why as we move toward the final weeks of school, I always lean on my top 5 Teacher Time Management Secrets to help me get through to the end of the year without stressing over the end-of-year things I must do. You can get your copy here.

Keep Reading if you’re asking, “How to deal with spring fever?”

We all have been there. Students start to wiggle more, it becomes harder to concentrate on work, and students who already have difficulty regulating may be more likely to act out, be disruptive, or be less motivated to learn.

That’s why when it comes to how to cure spring fever, there are a few simple and effective ways to keep your classroom on track.

When you encourage positive behavior in the classroom you can curb spring fever and keep students focused.

Encourage Positive Behavior as Your Spring Fever Cure

Remember, students want to continue to do well at school, but their needs change regarding spring fever. They need more encouragement to help them focus on their learning. So you can do a few things in your classroom to foster learning during this time of year!

Keep it simple to cure spring fever

Take time to review the school and classroom rules but keep it simple; choose one to three rules to focus on for the remainder of the year and review them often.

Review Routines Often

Going over classroom routines in the spring helps students understand expectations. Routines that stay consistent until the end of the year are the ones that keep the classroom running smoothly.

Freshen Things Up with Incentives

The end of the year is a time for students to lose concentration, so freshening up on class goals and incentives can help motivate students to focus more on their learning so they can participate in an incentive they enjoy together. Making it a class incentive helps the entire class to get on board.

A kindergarten teacher I spoke to uses a secret walker strategy with her students. She picks two sticks with student names before walking down the hall. The students need to find out whose name she chose. If they can follow directions as they move to the next activity (lunch, specials, etc.), the teacher adds to the marble jar for their class reward and reveals the secret student walkers.

Because it’s a secret, the students all have to work toward the goal! It works well and helps students remember expectations when they want to get out of line or talk to their peers.

Finding creative ways to encourage positive behavior helps students know what they need to do and when. It keeps the classroom running smoothly and takes the stress off you as the teacher.

Spring fever in the classroom is real but getting active and taking your class outside can help cure spring fever.

Get Active to Cure Spring Fever in the Classroom

One way to beat spring fever in the classroom is to bring movement into your teaching. Getting activity into the day is one of my favorite additions to my lessons this time of year.

How to Add Movement to Lessons to Cure Spring Fever?

Adding movement could mean more hands-on activities, partner activities, or group projects.

You may take a simple sight word writing lesson that you usually do with pencil and paper and switch it up by using whiteboard markers and whiteboards or going outside to write on the sidewalk with chalk.

You could even have students stand behind their desks when they have an answer versus raising their hands.

Plan Time for Outdoor Learning for Spring Fever Cure

Many teachers begin taking their classes outside for lessons during the spring to take advantage of the warmer weather, only to lose the class’ attention to the outdoor environment. While this can be frustrating, carefully planning the time you want to spend outdoors can enhance student learning and cure spring fever. It will also give students a chance to get some fresh air and exercise, which can improve their overall well-being.

Create More Space for Students to Wiggle

Moving student tables and desks further apart can provide added benefits to your classroom at this time of year. Having more space to learn and work helps students not feel closed like they have during the winter months.

Offering motor breaks throughout the day will also help students to stay focused. Websites like GoNoodle or Cosmic Kids Yoga on Youtube can create all the difference in students’ energy. Additionally, incorporating a motor lab or sensory walk can help students release their energy.

These simple shifts help keep your students engaged and interested in the lesson. It can also spark their creativity and curiosity, leading to deeper learning and understanding. So don’t be afraid to switch things up and try different ways to bring movement into your teaching to keep students focused and motivated.

Spring fever in the classroom can be cured by mixing up your teaching methods with shorter lessons and technology.

Mix Up your Teaching Methods to Keep Students Engaged as a Spring Fever Cure

Finally, find ways to mix up your teaching methods and materials. This could mean changing your lessons, adding technology, or using new materials that students still need to work with to enhance their learning.

Shorten Up Lessons

Shortening your lessons or chunking them to match the students’ attention spans during the spring will keep them focused. For example, if you have a 45-minute math lesson, can you split it apart into 15-minute sections where they listen for 10-15 minutes and then have to work out a problem on a whiteboard?

Technology

Additionally, using technology to supplement student learning can support students’ attention spans and help cure spring fever. Think of your favorite apps that help students with reading or math and create opportunities for students to use the tech throughout the week.

Stay Focused

Finally, stay focused because, as leadership coach Mike Hawkins says, ‘You don’t get results by focusing on results. You get results by focusing on the actions that produce the results.” When you focus on the things that help you to cure spring fever in your classroom, you will find peace of mind knowing you’ve put in place the right strategies that work for you and your students to keep your classroom on track to the end of the year!

3 Simple Ways to Cure Spring Fever in the Classroom

Keep Reading if you’re asking, “How to deal with spring fever?”