January always arrives with a particular energy for teachers, not quite the sparkle of back-to-school, not quite the calm of summer, and definitely not the rush of December. Instead, it brings the long stretch of winter… the dead of winter.
The holidays are over. The routines return. The days are short, the mornings are dark, and everyone is adjusting to the quiet hum of the new year.
But there’s also something hopeful about this season. Something spacious and steady. This is the perfect time to set intentions, not resolutions: small, compassionate commitments to support your well-being, your classroom, and your sense of purpose.
Here are a few gentle intentions teachers can carry into the winter months:
1. Create more breathing room
January is an invitation to slow down. Pace your lessons. Give yourself (and your students) a little more processing time. Build in brain breaks, quiet tasks, and moments of stillness. Breathing room isn’t wasted time; it’s maintenance.
2. Protect your energy like it matters—because it does
Winter teaching is a marathon. Choose where your energy goes intentionally. Maybe that means:
- Saying no to an extra committee.
- Leaving school at contract time once or twice a week.
- Setting boundaries with email.
- Simplifying planning when students need repetition anyway.
Less doing. More being.
3. Foster warmth in small ways
When the world outside is cold, create warmth inside.
- A cozy book corner
- A softer tone of voice
- A morning ritual that grounds you
- A quick check-in with a student who needs an anchor
Tiny changes add up.
4. Choose connection over perfection
Winter often amplifies stress and fatigue. It’s easy to get caught up in performance: perfect lessons, perfect pacing, perfect behaviour management. But what actually shifts the energy is connection.
A meaningful conversation.
A shared laugh.
A moment of kindness.
Those stay. Perfection doesn’t.
5. Honour your own humanity
You’re not a machine. You’re a human navigating cold mornings, icy roads, stacked expectations, and the emotional landscape of dozens of students—every single day.
Honour that with gentleness:
- Drink water.
- Eat something nourishing.
- Wear the comfortable shoes.
- Bring your warmest sweater.
- Give yourself grace when things go sideways.
This isn’t the season for self-criticism. This is the season for self-support.
6. Intention: Notice one good thing each day
A smooth transition.
A thoughtful question from a student.
A moment of silence before the bell.
A lesson that felt easier today than last week.
One good thing, written down or whispered to yourself at the end of the day, can change the whole texture of your winter.
7. Intention: Return to why you teach
Winter sometimes makes purpose feel blurry. When the days are grey, reconnect with your “why”:
To inspire curiosity.
To make someone feel seen.
To spark creativity.
To guide a difficult moment.
To help young people grow into themselves.
Your purpose is still there—steady, even in the quiet.
A Winter Season of Intention
As we settle into the deep winter months, let this be a time of intention, not pressure. Your work matters. Your presence matters. And your wellbeing matters – deeply.
Here’s to a winter where teachers feel grounded, supported, and gently renewed. Not by doing more, but by choosing what matters most.
Wishing you and yours a soft start to the new year. ✨
Dawn Arseneau 
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