5 Essential Reminders for a Smooth End-of-Term Experience

A graphic featuring a smiling woman alongside the title '5 Reminders You Need for the Final Stretch Before Break' in a colorful, engaging design with decorative elements.

As we head into the last stretch before break, the energy shifts. Students are tired, teachers are tired, and the to-do lists don’t magically get shorter. This is exactly when a little intentional planning can keep you sane, organized, and able to enjoy your break instead of recovering from it (I have done the latter more times that I can count!)

Text graphic on a blue background that reads 'YOUR BREAK SHOULD BE FOR ENJOYMENT, NOT RECOVERY'.

Here are five reminders—practical, doable, and all things I personally use to help you glide through the final days before break!

1. Be Mindful When Scheduling Assessments

The end of a term doesn’t need to mean grading marathons. Be strategic about when and how you assess so you’re not staring down a stack of 150 papers the night before grades are due.

Here’s what I do:

I schedule assessments in some classes and intentional work/prep days in others.
My “prep days” are not throwaways—they include students reviewing their notes, making notes about their notes, revisiting past digital games, and engaging in targeted conversations about the lessons (a few prompts and a timer will do the trick!)This gives students valuable practice and gives me space to grade without drowning.
Build buffers. Your future self will thank you.

2. Make Writing Easier to Grade

Graphic illustrating strategies for grading writing efficiently, featuring checkmarks and writing elements.

A few strategies that save me every time:

Keep the length reasonable—I rarely assign more than one page.
Have students underline or highlight the elements of the rubric directly in their drafts. If I’m looking for specific vocabulary or structures, they highlight them so they pop off the page. Because my students can be very granular, I use a lot of quantity driven metics in my rubrics, i.e, used 2-3 unit vocabulary words. Used the imperfect at last 2 times, etc.
Grade in small, manageable batches. I do 15 at a time. This prevents fatigue, reduces mistakes, and helps maintain equity in grading.

Small adjustments can make a huge difference in both time and accuracy.

Holiday Cultural Goodies for Spanish Class (That Won’t Add to Your Prep Pile!)

3. Use Peer Work and Peer Assessment When Appropriate

An illustration of a diverse group of students collaborating around a table, engaging in peer review activities with books and notes.

For my upper-level dual credit classes the past two years, peer assessment has been one of the most refreshing parts of the end-of-term rhythm. Students worked in pairs, discussed the reading, re-checked answers, and clarified misunderstandings together. The conversations I overheard were thoughtful and engaged.

And yes—bonus—it was less for me to grade!

You can assign pairs or let students choose; both work depending on your class dynamic. There were some students in class that did not get along, so I ended up allowing them choice in the matter. And to be honest, not everyone got 100%. There was quite a range.

4. Repost Your Grading Policies

An illustration of a clipboard with a checklist showing 'Grading Policy' and a green check mark, symbolizing confirmed grading guidelines.

Before the stress spikes, repost your grading policy on Google Classroom (or whatever platform you use). Remind students that the same expectations and deadlines that governed the semester still apply… no surprises, no exceptions. This has been key in shoring up that boundary. This year, I did it before the TG break, and I will do it after as well. Now, these kids will still try!

A simple repost can prevent a dozen end-of-semester emails and boundary-testing requests.

Dear students,

As we approach the end of the semester, I want to remind you of the grading policy outlined in the syllabus. I know this can feel like a stressful time, so clarity is important.

Our department follows a no round-up policy and does not engage in grade inflation. The grade you earn is based on the work you have completed, the consistency of your effort, and your performance on classwork, formative assessments, and summative assessments—all submitted in a timely manner. The final grade reflects your overall body of work throughout the semester.

If you are not satisfied with your current grade, please come to an enrichment session so we can discuss your progress and create a plan for moving forward.

Thank you for your understanding and responsibility toward your own learning.

5. Protect Your Own Time

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This might be the most important reminder of all: build in downtime for yourself.
The end of the semester is packed—events, grading, IEP meetings, last-minute tasks, and anxiety-ridden students. The rules need to be the same as they were all semester.

Give yourself permission to REST where you can. For me, that means not taking on too many after-school commitments and prioritizing evenings that let me recharge–mostly rewatching series such as Downton Abbey and The Call of the Midwife.

We’re almost there. This final stretch can be smoother and far less stressful with a little planning and a few well-placed tightly coiled boundaries. And when break comes, you’ll be able to enjoy it—rested, restored, and without a mountain of work hanging over your head.

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