8 First Day of Class Activities to Start Building Classroom Rapport Right Away
Although many kiddos are already back in school, most colleges are gearing up for a spring semester start next week. In honor of a brand new year of academics, and for many, a nerve-wracking first day, I wanted to share some strategies for building classroom rapport right away. After all, the first day - notoriously “syllabus day” - is all about building community!
I have collected these strategies and have used them personally in one form or another. Some I thought of myself, and as with most things in teaching, some were borrowed from my generous (and awesome) teacher friends who have shared with me.
Index Card for Questions
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Materials
3” x 5” white or colored index cards (1 per student)
Preparation
Nothing (except don’t forget to bring them to class!)
Even extroverted students can be unsure or shy in front of a new group of people.
How to Use
Before class begins, hand out an index card to each student. Explain that everyone is new to each other and may not yet be comfortable asking questions in class, so they are free to write down any question(s) with their name or anonymously. All questions will be answered at the beginning of the next class.
Reasoning
It’s the first day, and sometimes even extroverted students can be unsure or shy in front of a new group of people. Having an index card and the option for anonymity gives them a way to ask questions without having to speak in front of the class.
First Day Surveys
Materials
Printed surveys (1 per student)
Preparation
Create the surveys with whatever focuses you want to learn about from your students’ perspective. I focus on their feelings and experiences with writing, as well as their confidence levels with those things, but if you’re more interested in other aspects, change it up! It’s all about interacting on a personal level.
Print the surveys.
How to Use
I typically take attendance with an interesting ice breaker first, and then hand out the surveys. The surveys are 6 questions, with space at the top for their preferred name and major. I ask them:
How they feel about writing
How confident they are
What their process is
Something they struggle with
Something they want to learn about in our class
If there is anything else I should know about as their instructor
This leaves room for things like learning disabilities, shy learners, and learners who are coming back to school after 20 years in the workforce.
It helps me gauge where they are at and how they’re feeling without a “quiz” or some sort of initial ungraded writing assignment.
I encourage them to be as thoughtful and detailed as they can, because the more I learn the more I can help and gear our class towards where they are starting. If your questions are different, that’s perfectly fine!
I would highly recommend keeping them to one side of a piece of paper, though. Anything longer will feel like an assessment, which is what I am avoiding with this survey. I’ve even done a half sheet version with about 3 questions.
Reasoning
I’ve done first day surveys every semester since I started teaching, and I love them! I don’t know the students yet, and they don’t know me, so I like to find out a little more about them on their terms.
My questions are really open to whatever students want to tell me. It helps me gauge where they are at and how they’re feeling without a “quiz” or some sort of initial ungraded writing assignment. It also helps me learn a little more about their personalities by how they answer the questions.
Get the Survey!
Meet Your Neighbors
Materials
Nothing
Preparation
Be prepared for grimaces and sighs (this is usually the activity that gets the most resistance)! Otherwise, no materials necessary.
How to Use
Once we have done attendance and completed our surveys, I have students introduce themselves to at least 2 people near where they are sitting.
They must get each other’s name and a reliable form of contact information, then write it down or record it digitally.
I walk around and monitor students while they are exchanging information to make sure that they are reaching out to each other. Sometimes this requires prompting.
We do group work almost every day in my classes, and meeting two other students the first day begins the conversation.
Reasoning
We do group work almost every day in my classes, and meeting two other students the first day begins the conversation. Then when we work on things, at least those two people will be familiar.
They can generally work with these same neighbors throughout the semester, which gives them a chance to get more comfortable with sharing their writing and opinions with each other. It’s also important they have someone to reach out to if they miss class and need notes.
Commonalities With Your Neighbors
Materials
Blank paper (1 sheet per group)
Preparation
Nothing really; it’s a good idea to keep a creative mindset so when you visit the student groups you can help them figure out some categories or ideas if they’re stuck
How to Use
Once the students have met 2 neighbors, I task them with finding 3 things that all of them have in common. These things cannot be related to my class.
These kinds of interactions can build comfort because it’s easier to talk to someone you know you have things in common with.
I usually give an example, but not more than two because then the students will only ask each other about the examples I used. Ideas I pose are: pets, siblings, hobbies, and hometowns. Nothing polarizing or opinionated. Just the basics.
I collect the sheets (with all student names at the top) at the end of the activity.
Reasoning
We are all people first, with families and friends and pets. Getting to know someone a little bit makes them less of a stranger. These kinds of interactions can build comfort because it’s easier to talk to someone you know you have things in common with. It’s also a way to get them having a conversation, even if they are shyly offering very brief answers.
Identify Important Aspects of the Syllabus With Your Neighbors
Materials
Printed copy of the syllabus (1 hard copy per 2-3 students); Students can also pull up the syllabus digitally
Expo markers or Chalk (Depending on what kind of board you have in the classroom)
Preparation
Print out the syllabi
How to Use
By the time students have met and found a few things in common with their neighbors, they are ready to dig into some class material. Within the groups, I hand out one printed version of the syllabus and encourage them to log onto the class Canvas to view a digital copy, too.
Their goal is to identify the 5-7 pieces of information they think are most important for succeeding in this class.
Once they have identified the information, they delegate one person to go write it on the board.
Having students work with their neighbors to identify important items forces them to communicate with others and helps them to see what’s there.
When everyone has written their answers on the board, we go over the information they’ve chosen, the patterns that have appeared, and anything I feel is important that they did not list.
Note:I do my course calendars separate from the syllabus, so when I hand out the syllabus, this does not include the course calendar. If the course calendar is included in the same document, I would recommend telling the students they can’t use due dates as important information.
While it is important, I want them to look at things more holistically about what we are learning and doing in class, not when they have to have it done by. We go over the calendar separately in my classes.
Reasoning
Syllabus day can be dead boring. I’m sure we’ve all had the class where the teacher reads the whole thing to us. Heck, I’ve done that class before - it was boring as the teacher, too!
Having students work with their neighbors to identify important items forces them to communicate with others and helps them to see what’s there. They also have to figure out how to prioritize what’s important instead of me just telling them.
Syllabus Scavenger Hunt With Your Neighbors
Materials
Printed out worksheets (1 per student)
Printed copy of the syllabus & course calendar (1 hard copy per 2-3 students); Students can also pull up the syllabus digitally
Preparation
Decide what information you want the students to find & create the scavenger hunt. Print the scavenger hunt worksheets. syllabi, and course calendars.
How to Use
If you want to see each student’s thinking about the syllabus while still having them work in groups, this exercise is a good alternative to having them find the important aspects. This activity also allows you to be in control of what they are focusing on.
I have students work in groups to identify answers to the questions on the scavenger hunt, that way they are still getting conversation; however, if they prefer working individually, they can focus on their own work, too. The questions usually cover the front and back of one piece of paper.
It can also pretty easily be turned into a “game” with prizes, if you want to want to get some friendly competition going in the classroom.
I use a combination of closed and open-ended questions. They do things like fill in the blanks, find dates, and name objectives. I don’t include multiple choice or longer answer questions. I want them to be writing, but it is an in-class group activity, so nothing too extensive. The questions are not in the order of the syllabus, so students are looking through the documents more than once.
When I assign the scavenger hunt, I do include my course calendar, with a question or two about the first project so they are aware of what’s coming.
Note: I do my course calendars separate from the syllabus, so when I pass out documents for the activity, they have one printed copy of the syllabus and one copy of the course calendar per group. Both documents are accessible on our class Canvas, though, and I encourage them to find it and become familiar with it. We also follow this activity with a discussion of both the syllabus & course calendar.
Reasoning
I really enjoy the scavenger hunt activity because it gets the students working together and looking at the syllabus in a more creative and open ended way instead of just reading it through like an essay.
They also are interacting with the material, as well as each other, so it’s usually a win-win scenario. It can also pretty easily be turned into a “game” with prizes, if you want to want to get some friendly competition going in the classroom.
The Skittles Icebreaker Game
Materials
One fun sized packet or handful of Skittles or M & Ms per student
Napkins/Paper Towels/Something to hold the candy
Preparation
Decide a category for each color; Example: Blue Skittles are pets, Red Skittles are siblings
How to Use
This activity might be in lieu of an icebreaker question for attendance, or the Meet Your Neighbors activity.
Before students arrive, write the color categories on the board.
When you are ready to begin the activity, explain that you will be passing out candy, but before they can eat the candy, they will be sharing some information about themselves with the class. Alternatively, you could have them share in smaller groups, too, if it’s a large class.
It also gives students a chance to choose what they want to share rather than the teacher telling them.
Hand out the handful or fun-sized packet of candy after you have explained the instructions, and then ask for volunteers (I find this is usually a nicer way to begin than the top of the roster). If there aren’t any volunteers, you can begin calling on students.
If they are sharing in small groups, you can have them share a piece of information for each piece of candy.
If they are sharing with the class, I would instruct them to look at the categories and pick one candy of 3 colors to share information about - whatever colors they feel comfortable with.
That way, they don’t get overwhelmed by how much they have to share, and it also doesn’t take the whole class period to get through all the students.
Reasoning
Sometimes classes respond really well to icebreakers and have fun during attendance and sometimes they hate it and it’s like pulling teeth. Since most students love candy in class, this activity is a win.
Having predetermined categories also lessens the pressure of figuring out what to say when it’s their turn to speak in front of class, or even in small groups. It also gives students a chance to choose what they want to share rather than the teacher telling them.
Elevator Pitch Game
Materials
3” x 5” white or colored index cards (1 per student)
Preparation
Prepare your own 15 second elevator pitch (more personal than your “I’m your teacher” spiel)
How to Use
Explain that an elevator pitch is something students will be doing all their lives - at work and in school. It's a great skill to develop no matter where they are right now.
Give them about 5-7 minutes to identify 3 important things about themselves that they would tell a stranger when meeting for the first time. This doesn’t have to be school related, but can be if that’s what they feel is important.
They then need to turn those items into sentences they will use to introduce themselves. They must write the sentences down.
Having students create a very brief pitch allows them to think about what’s important about themselves that they want others to know right away.
Once everyone has their sentences, they have to give their pitch to at least 2 other students.
I remind them that it’s okay to be nervous, and since they wrote down their sentences, they can read them to the other person if they are afraid. But, they still have to talk to 2 other people in some fashion.
I collect the pitches at the end of the activity.
Note: I usually use this activity with small classes of about 12 people or less; however, it could easily be used in a bigger class! I like this for my linked courses, which run concurrently with the standard English 111 course.
So when I do the activity, the students will have already done community-building activities with each other. They have to give their pitch to 2 students who they did not meet in English 111.
Reasoning
Being able to present yourself to others is important. Having students create a very brief pitch allows them to think about what’s important about themselves that they want others to know right away. It also helps me and their peers get to know them a little bit.
What do you do on the first day of class? Have you tried anything that’s worked really well? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a comment below or email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com!