Creating a somewhat relaxed atmosphere by encouraging people to talk about themselves, their goals and expectations.
Brandon,
Sounds like a fun and engaging activity that gets everyone contributing to the discussion and getting to know each other.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I teach a live sound course and on the first day I ask everyone what their first concert was like. I tell the students about my first concert, how important it was to me, and how it shaped my career.
Then we go around the room and students share their first concerts. We all reminisce together and get to know each other's taste in music.
It acts as an ice breaker and allows me to get to know the students, while giving them a glimpse into my personal life.
Introductions give me a little more information about the students.
Introductions give the students more information about my background and experience.
Jessica,
Good way to balance your professionalism with the human factor so the students can see you as someone that cares about them and their success. This sets up a class dynamic that gets the course off to a good start.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
You are accomplishing the first step in creating a relationship with the student. Introduce yourself first adn give them a little personal look at you. As an instructor you want them to ask questions, give feedback and participate in classroom discussions. Then get to know them. The comfort level in the classroom will depict how responsive they are.
Landis,
Thanks for this list of ways introductions can benefit and inform both students and you the instructor about the dynamics as well as personalities that are present in the class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
There are several different important things you learn through student/instructor introductions.
First and most importantly, you are establishing a sense of caring for your student by taking the time to learn something about them. You are establishing that you are the leader and the expert on the subject they are learning.
Secondly, it gives the student a sense of identification. They understand and know you are there to teach them and to help them to succeed.
Thirdly, by sharing yourself with them it gives them a sense that they can talk to you at any time if they need extra help understanding a difficult subject and that you will not look down them for asking a "silly" question.
Landis
Sherri,
These casual exchanges are a great way to help students to see they are valued both as students as well as individuals. I always enjoy these sessions because I learn so much about my students and the vast experiences they bring into my classes.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Cristina,
This is such a valuable time for students to get to know the instructor and the instructor the students. Introductions are the foundation upon which the course is built.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
We are beginning to come to know each other. I will always ask each student to share where they are in their educational program, what are their expectations for the class, and to state a "fun fact". In a sense it breaks the ice as we all share a hobby, a recently read book, our family pet, a special skill, etc.
I help them by understand in how each of my student learn.
Cristina,
How do you help them acquire this understanding as you start a course?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The instructor also learns about what motivates the students to want to advance themselves and what else they have to deal with while going to school (i.e having to work, single parent, financial issues, etc.) It makes the students more "human" also.
That the student have a understand in what I am teaching them
Michael,
This is a great way to start a new class. Thank you for sharing your ice breaker with us. It is a fun one that requires the students to think a little bit as well. I know this activity generates a lot of laughs as well as discussion. It will be of help to other instructors looking for ways to start their classes.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The goal of what I'm trying to accomplish through my introduction process with my students in terms of introducing myself as well as having them introduce themselves to the class is to let everyone start to build a sense of community and get to know each other a little bit more.
I tend to try to run my classrooms in a casual manner and rely a lot on discussion. More often than not the best environment for discussion is a casual relaxed environment and I feel that if I can achieve that tone right from the start and my introductions than the rest of the class follows suit.
I use an exercise where I tell every student to write down one person from history or in general that they'd like to have dinner with;where they would go to dinner; what they would eat; and how they would get there.
Then we go around the room and everyone shares what they've written down. It is a great way to introduce each other and learn a little bit about each person is based on their answers.
Kenneth,
Respect is the foundation upon which the rest of the course is built so it is important that students understand the knowledge and expertise of their learning leader.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
With an introduction of myself as the instructor I have the opportunity to; earn respect of students by sharing my experience and including how I have earned a living in this field.
Edward,
Good way to set the stage for their course to come. By them knowing how much you care about their success you are setting the tone for the course and how the content from the course will facilitate their career growth.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
