Helping Students Cope With Big Behaviors Before Winter Break

A calm, structured approach for teachers

As winter break approaches, classrooms often feel louder, more emotional, and harder to manage. Students are excited, routines feel disrupted, and even your most regulated learners may struggle to focus or follow expectations.

This isn’t a failure of classroom management.

It’s a developmentally normal response to anticipation, change, and overstimulation.

The good news? A few intentional, low-effort strategies can make the final weeks before break calmer and more productive—for both students and teachers.

Why Behaviors Escalate Before Winter Break

Before we jump to solutions, it helps to understand what’s happening beneath the surface.

Many students are experiencing:

• Disrupted routines at home

• Increased excitement and sensory overload

• Anxiety about changes in schedule

• Less sleep and structure

• Emotional buildup from a long semester

When students don’t yet have the skills to express these feelings, behavior becomes communication.

3 Simple, Structured Strategies That Actually Help

These strategies require very little prep, but offer a big return.

1. Name the Season (Normalize the Feeling)

Start by acknowledging what students are experiencing.

Try this language:

“This time of year can feel exciting and overwhelming at the same time. It’s okay to feel both.”

Naming the feeling:

• Reduces shame

• Builds emotional awareness

• Helps students feel seen

This can be done during:

• Morning meeting

• A quick transition

• Before independent work

⏱️ Time required: 1–2 minutes

2. Shorten the Horizon (Focus on “Right Now”)

When break feels far away, students struggle to stay regulated.

Instead of saying:

• “We have two more weeks”

Try:

• “Let’s focus on the next 10 minutes”

• “Our goal is just this one task”

Use:

• Visual timers

• Checklists

• Single-task directions

This helps students feel successful now, not overwhelmed by what’s coming.

3. Add Predictable Micro-Breaks

You don’t need a full brain break rotation—just predictability.

Examples:

• 2 minutes of stretching after writing

• Silent doodle time after a lesson

• A calm song during transitions

When students know relief is coming, behaviors often decrease on their own.

A Gentle Reminder for Teachers

If your classroom feels harder right now, you’re not alone—and you’re not doing anything wrong.

Sometimes the most powerful support is less correction and more structure, paired with empathy.

Coming Next: A Mini-Series for December Classrooms

This post kicks off a short Winter Classroom Support Mini-Series, including:

• ✨ Calm morning routines that set the tone

• ✨ Simple regulation tools students can use independently

• ✨ Low-stress transitions before holidays

• ✨ Reset strategies for the first week back

Each post will be short, practical, and teacher-tested—because December doesn’t need more work, just better support.

👉 Check back soon or follow along for the next post in the series.