Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables famously said, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” But in education, October can be a hard, sometimes grueling month.
The excitement that comes with the start of the school year has faded, work has started to pile up, and classroom management and lesson plans may start going awry. There might not be any school breaks this month, making the days and weeks feel even longer. And to top it off, it’s the start of cold and flu season.
Ellen Moir, the founder of the New Teacher Center, a nonprofit that works to strengthen beginning teachers’ practice, deemed the stretch of time between mid-October and Thanksgiving break for new teachers, but veteran teachers struggle with this time period, too.
“It’s a very, very long stretch while you’re tired,” Roxanna Elden, an author and former teacher, told Education Week last year. "[You’re] hitting the wall, you can barely make it through the week, and there are just endless weeks [of the school year] ahead of you.”
(Of course, not all teachers agree that October is the toughest month of the year. See what other months teachers think are the most challenging and why.)
Education Week asked its social media followers to share how they plan to beat the October blues this year. These responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Stay connected with students and build those relationships
“Keep your lessons engaging!! This is the time to truly bust out things to catch the students’ interest. Fall, football, Pirate Day, Halloween. Even high school kids like this. Further, build deeper on relationships. Talk to your students a bit more and truly get to know them at this time. It will pay off come wintertime!”
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“One creative strategy is to conduct check-ins with students. One example is to use a ‘Feelings Wall.’ Create a designated space in your classroom where students can express their emotions through sticky notes or drawings. Encourage them to share how they’re feeling at the start of each week. This visual representation fosters community, allows for peer support, and opens up opportunities for discussion.”
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“Stay focused on goals with students and what matters to authentic, engaged learning. Don’t let the outside noises in. Stay steady and joyful! Make time for early celebrations in student gains.”
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Prioritize mental health and work-life balance
“Have a holiday booked for October half term.”
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“At your lunch break, take a walk outside the school building for fresh air (mental health break).”
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"[Book a] strategically placed mental health day.”
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Keep a sense of humor
“Count down to Thanksgiving break. 😂"
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“Carbs and baked goods.”
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And here’s how this teacher is beating the October blues:
“With a stick.”
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