First Day/Week of School
Teacher Presence:
Five Behaviours an Educator Should Engage in on the First Day:
- Be pleasant and friendly. Avoid sarcasm, yelling, or negativity.
- Be approachable and welcoming; not just you, but the layout of your classroom too.
- Learn their names and greet students by name.
- Be clear in communication. Develop classroom expectations together. Reinforce desired behaviour.
- Be honest.
Classroom Activities:
Toilet PaperPass a roll of toilet paper around and ask students to take as many squares as they would need to survive a night in the forest. Then each student shares one piece of information about themselves for each piece taken after everyone has selected their squares.
- Teacher models that the information shared can be superficial or unique
- Allows students to have a voice when it’s their turn to share (care, respect)
Ten Fingers
Students stand in a circle and one states a fact that they have done (Hoping that others have not). Everyone starts with ten fingers up. If they haven’t also done it they drop a finger.
Pictionary Introduction
Give each student a blank sheet of paper. Students are given the following instructions: without using numbers or letters each participant should draw things which will introduce them to each other. After 5 minutes the teacher will gather the papers, and pass them out to new people. Participants must try to guess who their paper belongs to, and then explain what is on it to the rest of the group.
Students stand in a circle and one states a fact that they have done (Hoping that others have not). Everyone starts with ten fingers up. If they haven’t also done it they drop a finger.
- Teacher models that the information is truthful and complies with the rules. Teacher reiterates that experiences should be unique, but also school appropriate.
- Builds connections with other students by sharing experiences (integrity, trust)
Pictionary Introduction
Give each student a blank sheet of paper. Students are given the following instructions: without using numbers or letters each participant should draw things which will introduce them to each other. After 5 minutes the teacher will gather the papers, and pass them out to new people. Participants must try to guess who their paper belongs to, and then explain what is on it to the rest of the group.
- Teacher includes their own pictionary introduction. They should also start the sharing by modeling what would be appropriate to say about someone’s pictures.
- Allows students to be creative, have a voice and potentially some laughs
- Builds connections with other students by sharing their connections to the images (trust, respect)
