Opening Activities

I have tried many activities over the years to establish rapport with my students.  After attending the Constructivist Conference in Canton, NY and a Differentiation Conference by Kathleen Kryza I decided to take more time to get to know my students.  I typically do icebreakers such as People Bingo with classes, which I continued to do this year.  After participating in Kathleen Kryza's workshop I decided to try using Core Groups. I trained students in what expectations I had by asking to choose an Adrinka Symbol that best represented them. Groups then brainstormed a list of class rules.  Students then completed a gallery walk where they chose the rules that they thought best suited them. I also requested that students complete a learning style survey. Finally, I asked students to fill out index cards with their name, hobbies/interests, and learning styles. I felt that these activities really helped to establish the ground rules and rapport with students.