Refresh. Reset. Re-Engage.

How to make the most of your January reset - the GLAD® way

Back from winter break.

New year.
New energy… or at least new potential energy. 😉

The days after winter vacation are a sweet spot for teachers.
Students are rested (mostly).
Routines are rusty.
And everyone is ready for a reset.

This is the perfect moment to refresh key Project GLAD strategies—without overhauling everything.

Small shifts.
Big payoff.

Let’s walk through a few high-impact resets that work beautifully in January.

1. Reset the Seating = Reset the Energy

January is an ideal time to reconfigure teams.

New seating communicates, “we’re starting fresh.”

Try something different:

Instead of teams of four, experiment with groups of six.

Here’s how:

• Two teams per grouping of six

• Three students on each side

• Still heterogeneous

• Still purposeful

• Students notice the change immediately—and lean in.

2. Fresh Team Names (Tied to Content!)

New teams deserve new names.

YES - continue to associate a color with each team, but give the teams academic names.

Examples by content area:

• Math: Hexagon, Quadrilateral, Pentagon, Rhombus, Parallelogram

• Science: Skeletal, Integumentary, Muscular, Endocrine, Respiratory

• ELA: Biography, Fantasy, Non-Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Memoir

• Social Studies: Tundra, Grassland, Aquatic, Forest, Arctic

This subtle move:

• Builds academic language

• Reinforces vocabulary

Bonus?
You can reference team names during instruction all day long.

3. Refresh the T-Graph for Social Skills

Your initial T-Graph may still be up from September.

That’s okay.
January is a great time to reintroduce it intentionally.

Easy refresh ideas:

• New social skill promoting teamwork

• New team points (posted right beside the TGraph)

• Update the background color

If you’ve been using yellow, consider switching to a light blue or another soft color.

Why?

• It signals “new phase”

• It catches attention again

Students need reminders—especially after a long break.
This is support, not backtracking. 

4. Re-Launch Numbered Heads (Yes—Again!)

If Numbered Heads has faded… bring it back strong.

January is ideal for a re-orientation:

• Explain the why again 

  • First ask STUDENTS why using heads together and pulling numbered heads is important. THEN augment their responses with a basic explanation how Numbered Heads provides a way for everyone to have the chance to share ideas and then get an equal chance to report out for their team.
  • Ask your students - "Why don't we just raise hands and call on students with their hands raised instead?"
• Whole class question - "heads together" - draw a number and select a team.  Remember, only 4 numbers rather than individual popsicle sticks for every students' name. 
• The reporter is the mouthpiece of the TEAM'S brain
• "I don't know..."  "Heads back together."

Why Numbered Heads matters (from a teacher's perspective):

• Increases engagement
• Boosts language production
• Supports with scaffolding
• Builds accountability
• Practices the TGraph social skill

And let’s be honest—
It keeps everyone on their toes (students and teachers alike).

5. Start the Year Strong with Strong Foundations

If January feels bumpy, it’s not a failure.

It’s feedback.

That’s exactly why we created the Setting the Stage resource.

Setting the Stage Resource:

• On-demand

• One-time purchase
• Watch when you need it, as often as you need it
• Includes setting up teams, using the TGraph for Social Skills, reestablishing a Zero Noise Signal, Literacy Awards and more management strategies.

Think of it as your:

“Reset button for classroom systems.”

Simple.
Practical.
Immediately usable.

Final Thought

January doesn’t need brand-new systems, GLAD® already has that for you.

It needs a reorientation to clear expectations, intentional structures, and a fresh start.

Small resets matter.
Students feel them.
You feel them.

And they opens the door to learning.

Here’s to a strong, focused, and re-energized second half of the year. ✨

Sara S. Martinez, DIS

Jody Bader, M.Ed.