Back to School is an exciting time for students and teachers. Teachers are preparing their classrooms, websites, class syllabuses, and all the exciting activities they plan to bring to their eager students. I think the most important item for teachers to plan for is the very first day. It is the day that first impressions are most important. It is the day when you can introduce yourself instead of your subject. It is the first day to build the team that will carry you through the entire year.
Some of the team-building activities that I have used (borrowed, discovered, found, revised) over the years still make me smile when I think about the reaction each activity had on the various classes. And the students have fun getting to know more about their teachers than the teacher's undying love of their subject.
The important thing to keep in mind is that students don't fully engage - even with technology - unless they become involved. The first day is the day to begin the transformation from student to team member. The year will be smoother for the students and the teacher. The year will be more productive for the student and the teacher. The year will be easier for all involved. And the first day will be so much more fun!
Here are some ideas that I offer this week:
Seating arrangements can be designed in a number of interesting ways. One way I have arranged seating is by greeting the students at the door of my classroom with a stack of randomly-numbered index cards. I hand a card to each student upon entering and they find their desk. This allows for an alternative to alphabetical order as well as an alternative to sitting with friends. This seating arrangement method can also be revised with color-coded index cards using 4 colors. Each student receives a color-coded index card and then is seated at a desk with the same coding. This method offers a little bit of choice for the student.
Introductions can be done in a number of interesting and fun ways. One way is 3 Truths and a Lie where the teacher leads off telling 3 personal truths and 1 lie. The students must identify the lie. They will never forget what they learn about their teacher. Then the process continues as the class, student by student, introduces themselves in the same way.
Another way to accomplish introductions is Take as Much as You Need. Taking a roll of toilet tissue the teacher tears off 6 or 7 pieces and then hands the roll to a student with these words: "take as much as you need" and nothing else. After every student has taken some of the toilet tissue, the teacher begins by tearing of the first segmented piece and tells something about himself/herself. Then he/she tears off another piece and tells something else. This continues until the entire class has introduced themselves.
Team-Building activities might include a team poster that represents the individual team members' commonalities. This is usually a way for students to interact and find out more about the students in class.
Another good team-building activity is a Scavenger Hunt. Some items in the scavenger hunt might be "the students who have had classes together since kindergarten" or "the students who have the same birthday" to get you started. This can be a very good exercise for students of all ages.
The point that I'm making is that in order to really make students want to work for you, I think they need to know that you care about them. If you want to find out interesting things about them, then it shows you care about them. This can make a huge difference in the way the academic year goes - for the teacher as well as for the students.
This Week with Sara Fitts will discuss more ways to spice up the first day in the days ahead.
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