Icebreakers
Do an internet search for icebreakers, I use many and it helps student bond, relax, and get to know eachother.
Great idea. This will work in the traditional classroom as well as virtual.
That's a great idea, and a good way to demonstrate the idea of leaving one's comfort zone.
Hi Dara,
This is a great way to start a class. Thanks for sharing this strategy with us. I know it will benefit many other instructors as they plan their class openers.
Gary
One of my favorites is to have them sign their name on a paper. I sign mine on the board. Then I have them put the pen/pencil in the opposite hand and again sign their name. I do the same on the board. Of course, it's awkward and we all kind of laugh a bit. I make no attempt to sign my name clealy -- it's a mess when I sign with the other hand! We then talk about how it's so easy to sign your name with your regular hand, but how it feels so awkward and uncomfortable when switching hands.
I then share some statistics about people who have lost use of their dominant hands and have to learn to switch over to the other hand. We talk about how they make the switch mentally and how eventually their previously non-dominant hand can successfully accomplish the tasks that the previously dominant hand did. We talk about the process involved.
I then tie it in to being in this new classroom for the first time. It's all new and can feel awkward, but they CAN do it. It just takes time and practice.
I tie the two subjects together to try to build their confidence in their ability to succeed in a new field AND to let them know that it's ok to feel uncomfortable and awkward at first. Everybody has a learning curve; it's ok.
It helps to wake up the students, and it is a critical thinking skill exercise.
I like to do this with a "things I love" and "things I hate" list. Something they can write and think about for a few minutes then share
We are instructors and our resposibility is to help them feel good and more relaxed. Icebreakers is a fun way to ease the first day jitters.
I break the students up into pairs, have them interview each other then introduce their partner to the class. They have fun with this.
Hi Kelly,
This is a great icebreaker. Thanks for sharing it with us. I am always looking for more icebreakers and this one is a keeper.
Gary
What websites do you use to find brain teasers such as the one you listed?
I ask them about thier reasons for entering into this profession. Some of my students have very strong/emotional reasons for wanting to become a therapist and I think that it makes the other students who aren't as passionate right away, reexamine thier reasons for thier choice in profession. This also leads to other conversation about life experiences and helps the students bond more strongly.
For my classes I use a couple brain teasers that I found online and seem to get the students thinking.
One such teaser is about being in the dessert with 5 animals: 1.) Lion, 2.)Monkey, 3.) Horse, 4.) A Sheep, and 5.) A cow.
The lion represents pride, the cow basic necessities, the monkey our children, sheep represents our friends, and the horse represents our drive or desire...
The jist of the scenario is that in order to make it through the desert, you will have to eliminate all but one of the animals.
It is really entertaning to hear the students responses after they learn what each animal means. The best response though is when they say " ...here I thought this class was going to be boring, I actually think I might like it".
Hi Janelle,
Thanks for sharing this great icebreaker with us. It is one that promotes interaction and communication. This will be of help to new instructors trying to find icebreakers that will work in their classes.
Gary
An icebreaker that I used for my first class was to have the student write down 4 things about themselves (1. Their favorite food to snack on while studying. 2. Where they grew up. 3. Their major. 4. What they hope to learn from the class.) Then I have them pair up with someone who they don't know and introduce themselves to each other. We then go around the room and their partner has to introduce them and what they put on the card without reading it off of the card. It's a great way for them to learn more about each other and for me to learn what they expect to gain from the class.
I list what I want them to share, and I have students pair up and introduce each other to the class. I include a favorite movie or book or type of music. I have found that many students will bring up movies that others like and the atmosphere in the class lightens.
Hi Scot,
Yes, for many icebreakers can be seen as being corny but when I use them in conjunction with humor we all get a good laugh from the icebreaker responses while getting to know each other better. In the end I have all my students participating and having fun as we get the course off to a good start. The key is for the instructor to be comfortable in using them. If he/she isn't then they aren't going to work well and the students won't like doing them.
Gary
As a student I always found icebreakers to be corny, but now as an instructor I find that they might be more useful than I had previously thought...even if they still are corny :)
I have them fill out a sheet with different questions (if you could have superpowers what would it be) then I use it throughout the course and play games with it. they seem to like it
Brittney
I strongly agree with your assesment sir
