A Tale of Classroom Chaos

I vividly remember Halloween during my third year of teaching. That year, I taught fourth grade, and our school still held the traditional costume parade followed by classroom parties. Sounds fun, right? Well, my second year in fourth grade had me feeling somewhat prepared. But the truth? I was not ready for the energy level that would hit my classroom that day.

From the moment my students walked in, I knew it was going to be one of those days. They were buzzing with excitement, unable to contain themselves. No lesson, no amount of “eyes on me,” and no warning could hold back the tidal wave of enthusiasm. By lunchtime, my classroom management was hanging by a thread, and I was this close to going home sick. 

Near tears, I asked the seasoned fourth-grade teacher next door for advice. She’d been teaching for years and always seemed to have it all together—surely, she had some secret trick to reel in these sugar-fueled students. Her response? “Embrace it. Don’t engage in a power struggle. Keep them safe, let them have fun, and remember—it’s Halloween and a full moon.”

What? A full moon? Now, I had heard the full moon theory, but surely it couldn’t make that much of a difference, right? Wrong. The wildness in the air made complete sense in that moment, and I could practically hear the universe laughing at my worthless attempts to maintain order.

Her words hit me: This wasn't a battle I was going to win, and honestly, it wasn’t one I needed to. I had spent most of the day trying to control their excitement instead of embracing the moment. My job that day wasn’t to achieve the perfect lesson—it was to keep them safe, let them have fun, and help them make memories.

So, I took a breath, loosened my grip on my well-laid plans, and let go. My students did have fun. We got through the parade, they ate more candy than I would have recommended, and the classroom was messier than it had ever been. But, you know what? They laughed, enjoyed themselves, and the world didn’t end.

The next day, we were back to math, reading, and routine—just as my colleague had said. The chaos of Halloween was temporary, but the memories they made were lasting.

Here’s the lesson I learned that day: It’s okay to have days where you lean into the craziness. Not every day will go according to plan, and that’s part of the magic of teaching. So whether it's a special day, a holiday, a full moon, or just an off day, sometimes, the best thing you can do is step back, take a deep breath, and let the day run its course. After all, it’s moments like these that remind us why we teach—the joy, the laughter, and the unpredictability of working with kids.

In this week's newsletter, we're providing you with helpful resources to boost engagement the day after what might feel like a whirlwind of chaos (Halloween is next week!).We hope you will find they help ease back into learning after all the sugar highs and costume fun!