The back to school season is a fun and exciting time of year. It’s a time for new beginnings and a fresh start. Before I dive into curriculum work, it is essential to get to know who my students are to develop personal relationships with them. Understanding how they think, feel, and their likes and dislikes has always helped me continually engage them in classroom activities. Taking time to do this on the first days of the school year is very important.
This year, start the school year with a few different activities. I will admit, these activities all play double duty, meaning they allow me to kill two birds with one stone. This is another essential at the beginning of the year when time is not on my side. Having activities serve more than one purpose helps to alleviate stress.
Three Things I Want My Teacher to Know
This is an activity I have tried out with past students, and they love it. It is titled, “Three Things I Want My Teacher to Know….” Each student will choose three things about their life that they would like to share to allow the teacher to get to know them better. It may help to complete one and read it as a model.
This activity will serve a few purposes for the first days of school:
This activity will serve a few purposes for the first days of school:
- build relationships with students,
- quickly assess their writing skills,
understand strengths and weaknesses in their life
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Three Things I Want My Teacher to Know
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This activity is set up so students can get as personal as they choose. They can tell you about their:
- favorite colors or subjects,
- awkward living situations,
- funny anecdotes,
- their likes and dislikes.
Anything they share will help you get to know them better as an individual.
Personal information such as their living situations can help teachers become more emphatic to a student’s emotional well-being. In addition, it has a purpose in the academic classroom. This information can be used later on in teaching by trying to find articles or topics they might enjoy reading and learning more about. In addition, essays or personal choice units will be easier for them to write by finding relevant issues. It’s a win-win situation!
Have students who need to have a positive self-image? Then, check out this writing idea that comes with a freebie to use in your classroom TODAY!!
More Back to School Ideas for Your Classroom
- Learn how to build personal relationships with your students on the first day of school
- Classroom management ideas
- Back to school tips
Do you need back to school activities to get you started? Click here for growth mindset, flip books, and writing assessments.
