Ice breaker
One of the strategies that I use to get to know my student is to have them do a life line with the most important events up to the present time that they have experienced. Or simply introduce themselves to the class, elaborate on reasons for taking my cource and their goals; and share one personal note if they wish. I start myself with a humorous introduction. This reduces the anxiety and makes me more personable to them. In this manner I gather loads of knowledge about my students, their potencies, and personalities. This also solidifies a bond between us which cohessively creates a rapport vital to my success.
Shani,
These are excellent ice breaker activities. These activities serve as great suggestions for other instructors, because they can be translated for different courses. Also, I agree that periodically, moving the students outside of the classroom, can have a positive impact on the students' level of comfort, with participation.
Tremayne Simpson
I teach the very first class that students take at my college, and as a result they are nervous, enthusitic, and hopeful.
I try to do at least two ice breakers. One on day one; I start the activity which they have to repeat:
1. Stand and state my name and where I am from
2. Why I wanted to be a chef
3. What is my favourite kitchen tool.
Then on day three when they are a little more settled I take the class outside and have them stand in a circle. I do this as I feel that standing outside is a lot less threatening than standing sole in a classroom. Once in a circle we play two games:
1. The name game: Students say thier name and where they are from. The following students has to say thier nams as well as the names of the other people who have already participated.
(I use this as team work is vital when working in the kitchen and the soon they start to know one another the faster the team building can begin.)
2. The telephone game: I think of a sentence or saying, then whispers it to the student next to me. This continues until the phrase reaches the last person. The last person then says it out loud. By this time, it is usually much different than the original.
I do this the show how vital good communication is especially in the kitchen, as we are wotking around a lot of dangerous tools.
In a healthcare educational setting the lifeline concept can be utilized to be honed in to specifially health related lifeline issues.So ,for example, in dental hygeine course,past experiences that are dental in nature and specific in regard to the class is helpful.If a class is about pain management, let us say, then students discussing their past dental pain scenarios will acheive both ice breaking ability and also reverberate relevance the course material will have to the students.
A "Life Line" is an excellent idea, especially asking them to focus on their most important events.
I teach in the animal healthcare field. A strategy that I use is to introduce myself, tell about my own personal pets, plus my future goals I have for myself in this field. I then give the students an opportunity to introduce themselves and tell about their personal pets, I then hand out slips of paper with the name of an animal on it that only the student is allowed to see, they are to find other students who are the same animal, only by making animal sounds or gestures that animal would make. It is a fun way for the students to get together and know a little about one another, I then have each student tell us one thing they learned about another student in their group.
This seems to ease the tension of the first day and help the students to relax.
donald,
This sounds like a unique icebreaker. Students are generally excited to hear about their peers' experiences and I am sure that there are some interesting stories that are shared, in regards to personal healthcare.
Tremayne Simpson
I teach a healthcare class. I encourage the students to share any personal healthcare related experience to bring reality to classroom lectures. This also allows the student to feel like part of the group as an "ice breaker".
I teach at a Career College and will get a lot of the same students. When we go around introducing ourselves, I will add what I know of the student and the strengths that I have seen. The students truly appreciate that, because i think it shows them that i care.
Tamara ,
I think that it depends on the type of "ice breaker" activity that is used. A valid ice breaker assignment could help to limit the "awkwardness" that may arise, based on the topic. It could also prove to be a "subtle" method for topic introduction.
Tremayne Simpson
May an ice breaker be a great option for a touchy subject such as STD and transmission of this epidemic?
Rick,
This is an interesting activity. Do you find that some of your senior students can remember the differences in their answers, when they were just beginning?
Tremayne Simpson
At the career college where I teach, the class sizes are relatively small, which gives me an opportunity to do the "ice breaker" of introducing themselves, where they are from and what they plan on doing when they "get out". I do this with my intro classes and senior level classes. What is always interesting to me, is to see the new responses of what they plan on doing when they "get out". Most all that have made it this far, have a different perspective than when they started.
Shiketheia,
This is an interesting device. Does "threats" refer to the items that they fear in regards to learning or life in general?
Tremayne Simpson
I agree with "Ice breakers" being a student in the past, it's great to learn your peers. I have always enjoyed my instructors giving me information on themselves. I use this in every class big or small. We were taught to SWAT our students at times this shows us their
1. Strength
2. Weaknesses
3. Achievements
4. Threats
They would tell me something about each so I can know as an instructor what type of student I am dealing with.
Devon,
Ice breakers can also produce a "calming effect" for students that have anxiety about meeting their instructor for the first time.
Tremayne Simpson
Ice breakers get the students to relax, and see me as a person going to help them learn, make it fun for all in the classroom, show different personality can learn from each other.
bernell dunn,
I also use "Ice Breaker" activities at the beginning of class. It is also a good idea to implement an Ice Breaker activity towards the end of class, in order to incorporate the students that may have been late and to get the students engaged with a different set of students (if it is a collaborative activity).
Tremayne Simpson
I USE THE ICE BREAKERS AT THE BEGINING OF THE CLASS.
bernell dunn,
Do you use ice breakers throughout the course or just during the first class session?
Tremayne Simpson
