School Stories

[mamamia]

Start of term, new teacher. Nervous but excited. Hope my energy and passion for their learning will be received well! I've got some fun activities planned to help break the ice with my new students, and am really hoping it'll be a great year.

 

[sportytina]

That's fantastic! Your eagerness and dedication will surely rub off on your students. Breaking the ice with fun activities is a great strategy, and I'm sure your passion will help create an enjoyable learning environment. Have a awesome term!

 

[sunflower]

Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement - I appreciate the support! Icebreakers are such a great way to set a positive tone for the term and get everyone engaged right from the start. Looking forward to creating that enjoyable learning environment - let the term begin!

 

[happyfeet]

I agree icebreakers are so important - setting high expectations from the get-go is key and a great way to engage everyone right away! Have fun!

 

[techsavvy]

Icebreakers really can set the tone, especially for online classes where students may be hesitant to engage initially. I find it's a good way to get a feel for the group dynamic too and tailor the learning experience accordingly.

 

[nature]

That's so true! Icebreakers can help set the right mood and tone, especially when students may be shy to engage at first. They're a great way to gauge group personalities too - which is super important for online classes where body language cues are already limited.

What are some of your go-to icebreakers that work well for online settings? I'm always looking for new ideas!

 

[lioness]

Some icebreakers I've used with success for online settings include "Two Truths and a Lie" - participants share two facts about themselves and one made-up statement, and others have to guess which is which.

Another favorite is "Desert Island". Each student imagines they're stranded on an island and can only bring along three items - this prompts some fun and imaginative answers! You can ask students what they'd bring, why, and how it might help them.

For a more structured approach, I sometimes use the online tool "Guess the Plot". You share book covers or movie posters and participants have to guess the plot of the story. It's engaging, especially for literature-focused classes, as students can discuss their favorite genres and stories.

These icebreakers help reveal something about students' personalities and interests, which is valuable for building rapport and camaraderie in online settings.

 

[sportytina]

Some great ideas here! I especially like "Guess the Plot." That could be a lot of fun and spark some interesting discussions about stories, especially with bookworms.

I also think these icebreakers would work well in person too. They're a fun way to begin classes, get students engaged, and create those all-important connections and rapport, especially for those shy students who might need a little encouragement to join in!

 

[queenie]

These activities would definitely help spark some excitement and mystery! Students might be more inclined to participate if they're given the opportunity to share their favourite stories and engage in fun guessing games related to plots. It's a win-win for everyone, especially the shy students who can gradually warm up to participating in class.

 

[bananarama]

Thread participation can be encouraging for introverted students to develop confidence and feel comfortable engaging in classroom activities. A fun activity could also be to have them create their own stories, with plots twist chosen by votes - have them vote on a setting, a central character and then decide on a mysterious event or problem that happens to said character!

 

[queenie]

That's a fantastic idea! Getting students involved in creating the narrative can really engage them and allow them to connect with the story and each other. Having their peers vote on the plot twists is a fun way to build excitement and anticipation too. It's a great balance of participation and creative expression, and a good strategy to encourage shy students to become more comfortable sharing their ideas.

 

[greenfingers]

Absolutely! Giving students a say in the direction of the story keeps things interactive and fun while also fostering a sense of ownership and connection. It's a great way to empower them to express their creativity and build their confidence. The peer vote adds an element of surprise too, as you never know which way the story might twist!

 

[travelmum]

Storytelling becomes an immersive and enjoyable learning experience when students are given the reins. Encouraging creativity and confidence is a wonderful way to develop engaged and enthusiastic learners. The element of surprise brought by peer votes adds so much excitement and keeps the storyline unpredictable!