When you drag a blanket across a damp field, the blanket becomes saturated. As spring arrives, there is a bit of that saturation with regard to learning too. The once bright-eyed students are a little more resistant to more study and a little less able to take in new learning. I call that the residual effect of lots of learning throughout the year.
Typically we respond to the residual effect with a new kind of learning in the spring, learning that involves field studies, special projects, and other special events. This awakens students' enthusiasm and makes the school days fun and interesting. In general, it's not more of the same.
With this in mind we'll cheer our students on until vacation with more skills and stamina, then there will be time for the tests and after that the project based learning, field studies and special events.
The end of the year also signals a time of change and some children meet that with a need for greater routine, support, and care. Schedules change more often at this time of year too due to numerous factors so we have to be more flexible too.
Every year this residual effect hits me as if it never happened before. It takes a few events to wake me up to the added needs and greater attention desired. Onward.
