CRUSH SCHOOL

5644 1st Avenue South Minneapolis, MN, 55419

I blog on Brain-Based Learning, Metacognition, EdTech, and Social-Emotional Learning. I am the author of the Crush School Series of Books, which help students understand how their brains process information and learn. I also wrote The Power of Three: How to Simplify Your Life to Amplify Your Personal and Professional Success, but be warned that it's meant for adults who want to thrive and are comfortable with four letter words.

Why We All Need (and Science Backs) a Chill Back-to-School Start

August 17, 2025  /  Oskar Cymerman

Why We All Need (and Science Backs) a Chill Back-to-School Start

The early wake up. The unwelcome sound of the first school bell. For students, its dreadful wail signals the end of way too much screen time and questionable snack choices. For teachers, it’s like suddenly remembering you signed up for a marathon after spending three months perfecting not running, but… napping.

My summer, for example, involved rigorous scientific study of optimal hammock recline angles and the fascinating hydrodynamics of ice melting in a cold beverage. My brain, once a finely tuned machine for dissecting plate tectonics and explaining the intricacies of stellar nucleosynthesis, is currently operating at the speed of continental drift. Seriously, I tried to calculate the tip on a coffee and bagel this morning and nearly summoned a black hole.

And then, just when I’ve finally convinced my internal clock that 9 AM is not the middle of the night, bam! It's Back to School season. The fluorescent lights hum, the smell of freshly waxed floors (and nervous sweat) fills the air, and suddenly, I’m expected to facilitate critical thinking about astronomical units when my own unit of measure for time is before coffee and after nap.

But here's the thing: I'm not alone in this post-summer brain fog. My students are probably equally discombobulated. Their synapses are still firing about TikTok dances and the optimal strategy for conquering level 73 of whatever video game is currently taking over their lives. Asking them to immediately dive into the Coriolis Effect or the nuances of atmospheric layers is, frankly, an act of abuse-bordering pedagogical cruelty.

This is why, as a 22-year veteran of the Summer-to-School Transition, I firmly believe in the Low-Stress, High-SEL Back-to-School Approach I describe below. So let’s make the first few days of Earth and Space Science, a subject inherently full of wonder, less about "memorize these facts" and more about "let's all remember how to human in the classroom."

Think about it. We’ve all been through it. That first day back, the locker combination feels like a riddle, finding your class is an epic, Indiana Jones-like quest, and the sheer volume of new information feels like a tornado aimed directly at your brain. Students are battling anxiety, social jitters, and the sudden shock of having to wear actual clothes. In the meantime, we, the teachers, are simultaneously trying to remember how to teach, decipher admin memos, and resist the urge to fight or flight.

But how do we shift our brains back into academic gear and not cause a mass exodus to the bathroom, the nurse’s office, or the conveniently-located office of the already swamped and stressed by schedule changes, parent demands, and student complaints counselors?

The Gentle Re-Entry: Why "Chill" is a Scientific Strategy

It might sound counterintuitive, but a relaxed start isn't just about being nice (though being nice is always nice). It's backed by some solid scientific stuff.

  1. The Brain Needs to Boot Up, Not Crash: Our brains have spent weeks in a low-demand, high-novelty environment. Suddenly transitioning to a highly structured, cognitively demanding setting can lead to cognitive overload. Imagine trying to run a marathon after only walking to the fridge for three months. SCREAMING muscles. Your students’ brains are screaming too. Easing in allows neural pathways to gradually reactivate for academic tasks.

    • Supporting Science: While specific studies on "easing into school" and cognitive load are integrated into broader educational psychology, the concept of cognitive load theory (Sweller, 1988) broadly explains how our working memory has limited capacity. Overwhelming it too quickly can hinder learning. A sudden influx of complex information after a break can exceed this capacity, leading to frustration and reduced retention.

  2. Anxiety is the Archenemy of Learning: Back-to-school anxiety is real, for both students and teachers. Students worry about new teachers, new classmates, new expectations, and whether their summer growth spurt will make their old clothes fit weird. Teachers worry about classroom management, covering the curriculum, and that one student who always asks if aliens are real (the answer is still "probably, but we don't know for sure ‘cause Transformers are not a thing, so sit down and shut up"). High anxiety activates the fight or flight response, making it incredibly difficult for the brain to focus on complex tasks like learning about the water cycle.

  3. SEL: The Secret Sauce for Success (and Sanity): Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) isn't just a buzzword; it's the foundation upon which effective learning is built. Those first few days are prime time for building relationships, establishing a safe classroom culture, and helping students (and teachers!) feel seen and understood. When students feel a sense of belonging and know their emotions are acknowledged, they are far more receptive to academic content.

My Anti-Burnout, Pro-Curiosity First-Day Strategy

For my Earth and Space Science classroom, a perfect low-stress, high-SEL opening activity is the "The Earth and You" Gallery Walk. It's simple, requires minimal direct instruction, and gets everyone moving and thinking without the pressure of “getting it right.”

The Setup (Minimal Effort, Maximum Impact):

  1. Gather Visuals/Prompts: I scatter 10 captivating Earth and Space Science images or thought-provoking prompts around the room. Think: a dazzling nebula, a satellite image of Earth at night, a question like "If you could visit any planet, why?" or "If you could ask the earth any question, what would it be?"

  2. Sticky Notes & Pens: Each student gets a few sticky notes and a pen. Their mission, should they choose to accept it (and they always do, because who doesn't love sticky notes?), is to wander, observe, wonder, and jot down any thought, feeling, or question that pops into their head at each station.

  3. Calm Vibes: Optional, but highly recommended: soft, instrumental background music. Think "Emancipator Earth vibes," not "heavy metal geology."

The Execution (Freedom to Explore):

  1. The "Welcome Back, Brains" Speech (5 minutes): I keep it light. "Alright peeps, welcome back! Your brains have been on vacation, and so has mine. So, instead of diving straight into quantum mechanics of black holes (yet!), we're going on a low-stress journey of discovery." I explain the sticky note concept, emphasizing that there are no wrong answers, only curious minds.

  2. The Wander (25-30 minutes): Students move freely. They look at the stunning image of Jupiter, scrawl "Whoa, that's huge!" on a sticky note, and stick it to the wall. They read a quote about the interconnectedness of Earth's systems and write "Everything's connected, like my hand to my phone!" (Hey, it’s a connection!). The room fills with quiet movement, the soft scratching of pens, and the occasional murmur of "Cool!"

  3. The Share & Connect (10-15 minutes): We come back together. I might pick a few stations and ask, "What were some common thoughts or feelings at this station?" or "Did anyone write something that really resonated with you?" This isn't a pop quiz; it's a chance to see that others share similar curiosities, anxieties, or awe. Often, I just walk around between groups of students and chat them up about what they observed and their hopes and reams for the school year. I keep it fun and low key.

The Payoff, No Textbook Required

This low-key start pays dividends beyond just reducing stress.

  • It builds community: Students see their peers' thoughts, realizing they're not alone in their initial anxieties or their deep-seated curiosities. It opens doors for future discussions.

  • It reactivates curiosity: Instead of being told what to learn, they're prompted to think about what they wonder. This is the ignition for true scientific inquiry.

  • It models self-awareness: By asking them to reflect on their feelings, even fleetingly, they practice identifying and acknowledging their emotional state – a key SEL skill.

  • It gives me data (the sneaky kind): Without formal assessments, I get a snapshot of their prior knowledge, misconceptions, and areas of genuine interest. This informs my future lesson planning, ensuring I'm teaching them, not just the curriculum.

  • It reminds me I'm human too: Honestly, it's a nice way for me to ease back in. No intense lecturing or too much talking on day one. Just facilitating wonder and reconnecting with why I love teaching Earth and Space Science in the first place. Because let's be real, after months of hammock research, my own brain needs a gentle re-entry as well.

So, as we stare down the barrel of another loaded school year, let’s embrace the power of the chill. Let's give our brains, and our students' brains, the time to wake up, smell the Celsius, and remember the joy of discovery before we hit them with the full force of the cosmos. The universe can wait. Our well-being cannot.

Thanks for reading my thoughts! I hope they help you in being more you. Check out my ready-to-go version of the Earth and You Gallery Walk, but if you cannot spare the $3 fee, please email me, and I’ll give it to you for free.

Supporting Scientific Articles and Resources for Your Inner Nerd (and Mine!):

  • Cognitive Load Theory:

  • Anxiety and Learning:

    • Johns Hopkins Medicine. "5 Tips to Ease Back-to-School Anxiety." (Accessible article discussing the prevalence and impact of back-to-school anxiety on children, and strategies to mitigate it). [No direct peer-reviewed link, but a reputable source summarizing common knowledge].

  • Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Benefits:

BOOKS & TOOLS

EQUITY Poster
EQUITY Poster
$1.50
Introduction to Earth and Space Science - 5 Phenomenon-Based Projects
Sale
Introduction to Earth and Space Science - 5 Phenomenon-Based Projects
$10.00 $15.00
Back 2 School Classroom Bundle of 8 Posters
Sale
Back 2 School Classroom Bundle of 8 Posters
$5.00 $8.00
Anthropogenic Phenomenon Investigation
Anthropogenic Phenomenon Investigation
$3.00
Earth Science: Create a Computer Simulation of an ESS Concept
Sale
Earth Science: Create a Computer Simulation of an ESS Concept
$2.00 $3.00
The Earth & You Gallery Walk: A Low Stress Back to School Earth and Space Science Lesson
The Earth & You Gallery Walk: A Low Stress Back to School Earth and Space Science Lesson
$3.00
Periodic Table of Students: A Fun Back to School Chemistry Classroom Activity
Periodic Table of Students: A Fun Back to School Chemistry Classroom Activity
$3.00
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categories / Science, Earth Science
tags / teaching teens, parenting teens, deeper learning, independence, lifelong learning, simplicity, skills, success skills, learning, making life easier, kids

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