Icebreaker Activity Idea

I think this is the activity that I will use to introduce myself and get to know the students during my first lesson.

Objectives:

Students will learn things about each other (and the teacher) they might not normally learn and have fun.

Materials:

Index cards, creativity, and a sense of humor

Activities and Strategies:

1. Pass out index cards.
2. Instruct students to write three statements about themselves. One must be a true statement. The other two must be untrue. (The more outrageous all three statements are, the better. Encourage students to think of odd information about themselves that no one would be able to know if it were true or false.)
3. Have either the student or a group leader read off the card. After all three statements have been read, have the students vote on which statement they believe to be true. Then have the student in question reveal the truthful statement.

Source: http://www.indiana.edu/~cafs/tt/v3i1/truth.html

Building Rapport with Students

** Get to know your students as soon as possible. This includes learning something about each student and learning to deal with various personalities.

** Enter the classroom with confidence. If you seem insecure, the students will realize it and you'll never have control over the class.

** Plan well. The student teaching experience is limited, so create realistic goals for what you want to achieve with your class.

** Use a variety of teaching strategies in the classroom. Plan to use worksheets, games, role playing, group work, and other approaches in order to motivate students as well as help them learn.

** Have a specific discipline plan for the classroom that is coordinated with your cooperating teacher. Start by knowing the school's rules about discipline.

** Smile a lot and have a good sense of humor. It can be contagious.

** Be flexible. A lot of teaching is trial and error. What works for one class may not work for another.

Source: http://education.indiana.edu/%7Ecafs/tt/v3i1/tips_st.html

Follow on from the Icebreaker Activity

After reading "The First Year" by Kristi Johnson Smith -- I was thinking maybe I would implement her "Getting to know you" activity. Do you think this is better than the True/False icebreaker activity?

Title: Getting to Know You
Date:
Name:
Subject:
Period:

Introduction

You are all amazing people, and I am eager to learn more about each of you. Please help me do so by completing the following handout.

Section I

Please answer questions 1-6.

1. Do you have brothers or sisters? If so, how many?

2. What is your favorite activity?

3. What is your least favorite activity?

4. What is your favorite school subject?

5. Have you been involved (or are you hoping to become involved) in any school activities (clubs, sports, etc.)? If so, which ones?

6. What is your favorite type of music?

Section II

Please complete the sentences below.

7. On the weekends I like to…

8. Someone I admire is because…

9. If I could go anywhere for a day, I would go…

10. I learn the most when the teacher…

11. I learn the most when I…

12. I don’t like it when teachers…

13. I don’t like it when I’m asked to…

14. After high school, I will probably…

15. My ideal job would be…

Source: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/firstyear/appendix+D

Good Advice

I really liked this piece of advice from hipteacher:

"Do not let your students be your "friend" on myspace or facebook. Bad idea (students DO want to know about your nasty social life, and their memories last far longer than the brainiest elephant). Do like your "friend" hipteacher and create a facebook for you as a teacher. Kids will think you are rad and will like having you wish them "Happy Birthday, Dude!" on their wall. They will even write on your wall to ask you homework questions and stuff. This might make you feel cool. Also, this is a nice way to keep up with all your former students who have moved on to be real adults and who are doing neat stuff you wanna know about."

I like this idea as it enables you to form a personal bond with your students -- that they can ask you questions -- yet at the same time there is still a level of professionalism and you are viewed more as teacher then their "mate."

I also had to add the other great piece of advice:

"The magic three: eat, pee, sleep." : )

Icebreaker Activity: Teacher True/False Quiz

I have been trying to find an icebreaker activity to implement once I start prac that is: age appropriate (HS), not too time consuming, fun for students, helps me get to know them better and gives the students a chance to get to know me.

What do you think of this one?

Teacher True/False Quiz:

About a week after school starts I pass out a true/false quiz about myself. I have 10 statements about myself, which deal with things I'd like the students to know about me, and some random true facts that they always think are false. Once the students have silently taken the quiz, we go through the statements together. I ask them to raise their hand if they think a statement is true, then if they think it is false. This part is fun for me to see what impressions they already have of me. I then tell them the correct answer. They love it! Their homework assignment that night is to write a true/false quiz about themselves, which I will then take. They can then grade how well I did on their quiz. I learn quite a bit about them by taking their quiz.

Source: http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/pages/865.shtml