First day in class

Ice Breakers

Easy activities

Icebreakers are easy activities that invite students to help shape the culture in the group. It can also be a way to introduce course content in an inspiring way. The idea is to create a safe learning environment where everyone feels free to participate fully and share their thoughts and ideas.

Helping students and teachers get to know each other, promote community and a relaxed environment, can also be a way to prepare students for future group work.

To reflect on before designing an activity

What do you want to achieve? Is it to set the tone for the learning environment, is it to start working with course content in an engaging way?
What does the student group look like? For example how big is the group and what does the composition look like, to what extent do they already know each other, what is the reason why they are there, etc. Larger groups can e.g. need a simple activity and new groups an easy activity.
What are the conditions like? Is there enough space? Do you have all the necessary materials? Do you need to agree that what is said or done stays in the room? Does the activity suit students' different conditions?
Dare, even if it does not always go as planned! Flexibility and a willingness to develop are part of creating a positive and open learning environment.

Suggested methods

If it's a larger group

Introduce the activity to the group and explain the purpose.
Be clear about the form and framework of the activity, e.g. how long it takes, that you will show that the activity is over and when it is time to change roles by clapping hands (IRL), send a message to break out rooms (Zoom) or otherwise, etc.
Help students find a partner. Some students are more shy than others, some may be more reluctant than others or there may simply be an odd number in the group.
Specify who starts first. For example, the student who sits on the left, or the student whose name begins with a letter that is before the other person's first letter in the alphabet, the one who is born furthest south, etc.
Announce when half the time has passed and that it is time to change roles. That way, everyone can talk for the same amount of time.
Conclude by asking some couples to share with the group what they learned about their partner, or something they discovered they have in common with each other.
Thank everyone for sharing.

If it is a small group

Present the activity and explain the purpose.
Be clear with the form and framework for the activity, and how you will control the process e.g. by allocating time
If possible, furnish so that everyone can see and hear each other, e.g. by placing the chairs in a ring facing each other
Let everyone in the order in which they sit reflect on something based on a pre-selected theme, or if it suits them better, let the one who wants to start talking, and then the next one who wants, etc. until everyone has been heard.
Make sure that everyone is allowed to speak, that everyone is allowed to finish talking, that everyone speaks from themselves without commenting on other people's contributions or asking follow-up questions.
Depending on the subject and purpose, write on a board if necessary.
Thank everyone for sharing.

Theme suggestions

Hope, Fears and Expectations

Present the activity and explain the purpose.
Be clear about the form and framework of the activity, e.g. how long it takes, that you will show that the activity is over by clapping hands (IRL), sending a message to break out rooms (Zoom) or otherwise, etc.
Divide the students into groups of three.
Ask students to share expectations, hopes and concerns about the course in small groups.
When the time is right for the small groups, write "Hope", "Fears" and "Expectations" as headings (column form) on a board / power point / GoogleDocs / Padlet or other format that all students can see and take part of.
Ask the groups in turn to share their Hope, Fears and Expectations, with the larger group.
Write down what they share under each heading.
Thank everyone for sharing.
Stop for a moment at each Hope, Fears and Expectations

Harmless presentation

Something personal but "harmless", e.g. my name plus if I know why I was given my name or what my name means, my favorite flower or something odd that I like to do or am good at, etc.
...

Rules of conduct set the framework for what is desirable behavior. To jointly agree on rules of conduct clarifies expectations from both teachers and students. Rules of conduct make it easier to create a safe learning environment, where different needs and wishes in the group are taken into account and where everyone knows that their ideas and views will be respected. Code of conduct also prevents violations and conflicts, and can serve as a contract that can be referred to if the code of conduct is violated.

To reflect on before

Which rules of conduct are not negotiable for you as a teacher?
How do you want the rules of conduct to be decided, should it be free input from the students or do you want to present a proposal to agree on but give the students the opportunity to change them?
How can you facilitate conversations about the rules of conduct?

Suggested method

Agree on rules of conduct at the beginning of the course, program and / or semester.
Let students first reflect for themselves and / or in small groups on previous experiences of learning environments. Which learning environments were positive and worked well? What were the characteristics of that learning environment? Which learning environments have not worked? What were the characteristics of that learning environment?
Let the students, based on their reflections, write a draft for rules of conduct for the group. Share their suggestions by having them tell the whole group and write on a board so that they are visible to everyone.
Ask the students if they can agree to apply these rules of conduct that has come up on the board.
Go through the rules of conduct at the beginning of each teaching session throughout the course, especially if the teaching is about a subject that can arouse emotions, or regularly during the semester to agree with the students that the rules of conduct still work. Ask students for feedback and make adjustments together if needed.
Before group work, let the groups set their own rules of conduct and come up with their own expectations.

Proposed rules of conduct

that you raise hands to speak
that no one may interrupt anyone else
that everyone respects the list of speakers
that responses of various kinds are presented in a respectful and constructive manner
that everyone comes prepared in the way that applies to the course or part of the course
...

References

Carstensen, Gunilla (2006). Könsmedveten pedagogik: konkreta tips och övningar för lärare. Uppsala: Avdelningen för utveckling av pedagogik och interaktivt lärande (UPI), Uppsala universitet

My employment

Support and service

Education

Research

Organisation and regulations