So on the first or second day of school we'd get into a big circle and throw a nerf ball at each other and ask "What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?" or we'd have to fill out a get-to-know-your-classmates survey with questions like "who's eyes are blue?" and "find someone who went out of the country for summer vacation." My gosh, that stuff made me gag. And I still find myself doing them in some college classes (though rarely are they as juvinile). They still annoy me. I never feel much more secure with my classmates and I don't feel like I really get to know them. I'm not willing to put it all out there in the first few days of class. I like that (most of) the options B&B offer are more geared toward helping the teacher get to know the student. Student interactivity, in my opinion, doesn't happen in those artificial get-to-know-you exercizes. I happens gradually. Quickly establishing a rapport with the students is valuable, but I am not a big fan of ice-breaker type activities.
I think an effective tool to have students get to know one another (which will take time) is to regularly change the seating arrangement, make students step outside their comfort zone. I think it helps if all the students are at least a little bit uncomfortable (or partially apprehensive in new territory) so no one feels isolated and that everyone begins to sympathize with eachother. I think it's important for teachers to identify what cliques have been established in the class, who gravitates toward whom, and to make sure (probably after a few weeks of class) that students get a fair amount of exposure to all their classmates (even the "annoying" ones). Kids will make sure to run into their best friend before and after class but they won't always make a concerted effort to sit next to or talk to someone outside their circle of friends. I think an important step toward establishing a writing environment would be to help students gain a comprehensive understanding of their classmates. Obviously this is bigger than just a seating arrangement, but it's a start, I think.
I think an effective tool to have students get to know one another (which will take time) is to regularly change the seating arrangement, make students step outside their comfort zone. I think it helps if all the students are at least a little bit uncomfortable (or partially apprehensive in new territory) so no one feels isolated and that everyone begins to sympathize with eachother. I think it's important for teachers to identify what cliques have been established in the class, who gravitates toward whom, and to make sure (probably after a few weeks of class) that students get a fair amount of exposure to all their classmates (even the "annoying" ones). Kids will make sure to run into their best friend before and after class but they won't always make a concerted effort to sit next to or talk to someone outside their circle of friends. I think an important step toward establishing a writing environment would be to help students gain a comprehensive understanding of their classmates. Obviously this is bigger than just a seating arrangement, but it's a start, I think.
I like that this class is a follow up from last semesters reading-intensive class, because good reading fosters good writing. Imitation as a form of teaching resonates across several different mediums (ex: music, art). If students are active readers (like B&B say) they will be pretty decent writers because they have a reference point. After reading Franney and Zooey last semester, I wrote a short story for my fiction class trying to imitate Salinger's writing style. I can't say I was completely successful but it helped me get past that feeling (the feeling we all feel before writing) that I had nothing to say or no distinct voice to say it in. Building a good reading catalogue opens your eyes to certain techniques that make writiting worth-while. Students can easily establish their own voice because no one read exactly the same material (that is, if they are reading outside of class).
2 comments:
Matt, your views are valid, however consider they come from practicing teachers. Though in your words, they may "gag you," these activities DO work, because I've done them with freshmen who later say it was some of the most intimate and meaningful activities they've ever done. It might not work for you, but it works for many students.
I agree, Matt, that some of the ideas expressed seem a little immature for secondary, but they did get you thinking. I, too, disliked the forced intimacy of some ice breakers, but I can also see their necessity. If you're teaching on a block schedule and only see your students two days a week, you might need a faster route to making connections with your students and them with each other than in a class that meets every day. As you mention, the somewhat forced intimacy of these exercises may not be pleasant, or even truthful, but I do think community building exercises are needed, if only to lay the groundwork for the real rapport that develops over time. Okay, okay, I'm hedging on this one, but I can really see both sides of the issue.
Also, great idea to switch the seating arrangement! Just be prepared for a bunch of grousing. Teeny-boppers love to sit next to their best buds. :-D
Post a Comment