On my first visit to my junior field placement this semester, a new student just started the day before I arrived. As I spoke with my teacher, she informed me that her students would be coming to school tomorrow with a prepared list that included their likes/dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and one other piece of information they would like to share with the class. This type of activity is similar to the “Circles of My Multicultural Self” worksheet we completed in our class last Tuesday. My teacher informed me that she generally does not begin the school year with this type of activity because students know each other since they have already spent a year in this school together. I was able to see the students discuss their lists with each other, and the new student was able to acquaint himself with the rest of the class.
I found this type of activity to be beneficial for students, especially adolescents, because they get to decide what information they reveal to the rest of the class. This activity also helps students feel more comfortable and less self-conscious around their classmates because each student is revealing a portion of his/her life. I feel that doing this activity with the arrival of a new student allows the student to feel welcomed and safe in a new environment.
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In my sophomore field placement at a middle school the students did an activity just like this once a month. The idea was to have students work in groups or partners formed by the teacher so they would have a chance to get to know other students they may not normally socialize with. After reading you post, Lauren, realized what a great idea this not only for all students but especially for classes with ELL students. By putting students with classmates whom they do not know very well, it takes them out of their comfort zone. When doing this activity with an ELL student, he or she can try to open up and learn about other students just as everyone else in the class. In this activity the ELL student will not be singled out or feel separated from the rest of the class because all of the students will be sharing new things with new people just as he or she may be doing each day.
I agree with you Lauren. This activity is great ice-breaker. Not only is it good for the kids to get to know each other, but also for the teacher. This activity allows the teacher to get a quick background of her students, which allows her/him to understand where the students are coming from. It might even become an answer to a lot of questions through out the year. Even as a student in our EMSE class, as we were all going through the “Circle of My Multicultural Self” activity, I learned a lot about our classmates.
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