Here is a list of questions I ask students to respond to as a getting to know you activity:
- If MATH were a food, what would it be? Explain.
- Would you eat it?
- If MATH were weather, how would you describe it?
- Finish the sentence – One time in MATH class…
- The BEST teacher I ever had was …. because … (this does not have to be a math teacher, even a school teacher – just anyone that has taught you something).
- 3 things I expect fof my teacher.
- 3 goals: one for this class; one for high school; one for life.
- In 20 years, what’s one thing Mrs. Wilson will remember about you…
You can learn a lot about student attitudes toward math based on the first 3 questions. Often times they will share something funny for Q4 – or a time they made a really good grade. Question 5 allows you to see something they may value outside of math class – if they happen to share a teachers name in my district, I will try to send that teacher a message, letting them know…we all need to hear the things we’ve done that stick with our students.
Students really do just want a teacher who enjoys teaching, who tries to make learning purposeful and engaging for their students and is willing to help them – allowing them to ask questions when needed. It amazes me they say not to sit behind my desk – seriously, that breaks my heart – because they’ve had that experience in a classroom. One student told me last year – she had not asked a question since 2nd grade because her teacher had yelled at her when she asked for help. So.Very.Sad. 7 years of not being engaged in math class.
I believe goal setting is important. I want to know those goals #1 so I can help students work toward them, but also so I can use them to find connections in my lessons.
Since I have had about 80% of my students in class before, I have been looking for other activities to use this year. A colleague shared a venn-diagram activity and I saw someone else blog about it as well – I like the idea, but I hate to use the same idea if another teacher in my building is/will be using it also.
My number 1 priority the first few days is to connect with each student – to start a foundational relationship – so they can trust I am there for one reason -
Would love to see the Venn Diagram activity if you can link to it or share.
I love those first three questions! I think I might sprinkle them into my warm-ups this week, but there’s so little time…
those are my favorites too! kids are kind of perplexed at first, “What? What do you mean, if it were food?”
[...] getting to know students questions « the radical rational… [...]
[...] I’ve decided to try bell ringers this year, and have stolen/modified Fawn’s format. I’m hoping it helps get students in their chairs on time (instead of just sort of in the room) and gets us focused. Today was our first reflective writing, and since there was very little by means of instruction this week, I borrowed Pam’s getting to know you questions. [...]