The holiday time is crazy.

You know what’s even crazier at this time of the year? That’s right…the students.

But listen—if Elf on the Shelf works as a behavior strategy for you, I am not judging. Truly. Bless you.

Because at this time of year, throw whatever you can to see what sticks, even if it is a creepy little elf.

I teach kindergarten, so yes… I’ve had an Elf on the Shelf in my room. And let me be 100% honest with you: it was the laziest elf in the history of elves. This elf barely moved an arm. The kids actually forgot he was there.

And, so did I. Needless to say, it didn’t work well for me.

Teachers everywhere are strongly boycotting this Pinterest fad, and here’s why.

1. It encourages even more excitement (a.k.a. chaos).

Listen… our students are already operating at full holiday energy. December hits, and suddenly every child comes to school like they have downed a few Red Bulls.

They are excitable to say the least on a typical day. Add an elf into the equation?
The octave will damage your eardrums.

The elf doesn’t calm anyone down. It doesn’t “motivate.” It doesn’t “encourage good choices.”

 What it does is send the room into a frenzy the moment the door opens.

“WHERE IS THE ELF?”
 “I THINK IT’S HIDING IN THE BATHROOM!”
“WHEN IS THE ELF GOING TO MOVE? I THINK HE IS STARING AT ME!”

Great. Wonderful. Exactly what we needed at 7:45 AM.

2. It doesn’t encourage inclusivity.

Here’s another big one that doesn’t get talked about enough: Elf on the Shelf isn’t inclusive.

Not every family celebrates Christmas.

Not every child is afraid they won’t get presents… Because their families don’t give presents.

Introducing the elf into the classroom sometimes puts kids in an awkward spot. Some feel left out. Some feel confused. Even worse, some may worry they’re “supposed” to celebrate something their family doesn’t.

And the last thing any teacher wants is a holiday tradition that accidentally makes a child feel “othered” in their own classroom.

3. It creates more work for teachers.

Let’s be honest—Elf on the Shelf is more work for teachers than it is for anyone else. Finding “creative” spots for the elf to appear overnight? Coming up with cute little notes that rhyme? Gag me.

Keeping up with the Pinterest-level setups? No, thank you. Who’s got time for THAT?

By the time December rolls around, teachers are already juggling Secret Santa, Ugly Sweater Day, holiday assemblies, assessments, and… oh right… teaching. That too.

Somehow, the elf becomes another job on top of the ones we already didn’t have enough time for.

So what actually works?

To be perfectly honest…

Nothing, in December.

But, here are a few ideas that won’t throw lighted matches on a pile of glitter.

Instead of relying on an elf to “magically” improve behavior, teachers can focus on strategies that are simple, inclusive, and actually effective:

No creepy elf required.

The truth is, the holidays are full of enough frantic frenzy without adding a tiny, judgmental toy into the mix. Focus on what helps your students thrive, not on what Pinterest tells you should work.

What does Pinterest know anyway?

Elf on the Shelf in the Classroom? Teachers Say: Absolutely Not