5 classroom resolutions for 2022

A teacher oversees four school students as they work on interactive displays

Published: December 28th, 2021

With every new year comes new beginnings and opportunities for change. For teachers in particular, this feeling of rebirth and renewal is particularly tangible, as a fresh group of students brings a chance to reflect and reinvent. Here’s a list of our top ten classroom resolutions for 2022.

1. Go Paperless

With edtech options and availability increasing each year, the time to go paperless in your class is now! Cloud-based classroom platforms like Classflow or Google Class enable teachers to directly interact with students’ devices, making it more attainable to set and mark homework, projects and assignments without paper.

And it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Taking small steps towards reducing paper can have a big impact on not just your environmental footprint, but also how your students then perceive the importance of reducing their wastage.

2. Flip the class

With hybrid teaching on the rise, you may have already incorporated the flipped classroom model into your lesson delivery, but it doesn’t just benefit remote classes. Based on the fundamental concept of “learning first and teaching second”, a flipped class may watch a video or read a text, then dissect it in class afterwards. A university study found that flipped classes incorporate a wide range of teaching styles (such as visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, etc.), meaning you can effectively target a wider range of learners.

Learn more in our blog, Flipped classroom: How to motivate students.

3. Get dimensional

Have you been wanting to try 3D printed lessons for your class? No longer just for Design Technology departments, the 3D printer has been shown to aid in the teaching of STEM and HASS subjects as well. Get practicing on creating 3D designs at home, with a variety of free apps and programs, such as browser-based SelfCAD, which you can access through the ActivPanel or personal computer.

Once prohibitively priced, they are now within reach for a range of budgets. Many schools now have access to at least one 3D printer, and second hand options are becoming more and more available.

4. Zero in on digital gaps

The last two years have truly brought to light the digital gaps that are still so prevalent in children. With a large amount of teaching across much of the country conducted online, this divide has widened between lower income and higher income families.

A simple survey on digital literacy and access conducted at the start of the year can help identify any gaps that may need filling. Steps you can take to bridge the divide could include reaching out to local community spaces and libraries – even the library within your own school – which may be able to provide internet to students who don’t have access at home. You can also rethink assumptions that students have mastered basic digital skills, and reiterate them in tech-based lessons.

5. Focus on wellbeing

While there’s been a recent focus shift onto student wellbeing – and rightly so – there has been far less conversation surrounding teacher wellbeing. This is despite the fact that since the pandemic, teachers and educators are among the most likely to experience work-related stress and psychological injury.

While national policy catches up to the importance of mental health programs for educators, try some mindfulness activities and allow yourself to slow down and catch your breath throughout the day. Not sure where to start? This handy resource for teachers has some great mindfulness activities to get you focused on your wellbeing.

Are you looking for inspiration and new ideas for your classroom? Sign up to Learn Promethean, our free professional development site, for valuable teaching resources, courses, and lesson content.