Have your students introduce YOU to the class

So many teachers right now are asking about
that first day of school. I thought I'd make a quick blog post with a fantastic no-prep, no tech option.

I can only do this one in the summer with incoming freshmen as during the school year I have too many students who already know me (because I taught them during the summer).

Many teachers do this with a fancy handout or PowerPoint. Since I never know the status of my classroom the first day (e.g. How many students? Will I have technology?) I keep this no-prep and easy.

1. I warmly welcome students to my class and ask them what kinds of things teachers usually share about themselves the first day. As they give me answers I write them on the board
• Home city, If they have kids, Professional background, etc.
• If students don't guess right away you can nudge them, but I usually get a pretty good list.
2. We sort the list into three different categories
• Usually we get something like:
1. How does she teach?Teacher Type
• We tie this into rules and expectations too.
2. What has she done? Background
• Professional, Personal
3. What does she like and dislike? Personality
• I have LOTS of "me" around the class, if you don't you may not want to include this.
3. I pass out scratch pieces of paper and tell them to walk around the classroom and find any evidence they can that shows them who I am as a teacher. 
1. Depending on how involved they are, I usually give about five minutes.
• If they're just sitting or staring at one spot. End it sooner. But they're usually into it.
2. You may need to set more guidelines depending on your privacy. I let them open any drawer that is unlocked and have even had a (rather brave) student ask if he could look in my purse. I allow it! 
4. Stop the class and have them see what evidence someone else collected. Sharing is caring!
5. Tell them now they are going to take the evidence and explain how it tells them who I am. I usually give an example
1. Ms. Peck has almonds on her desk. This tells me she is trying to eat healthy.
2. I also model using different evidence to support the same conclusion: Ms. Peck has almonds on her desk and bike pedals under it. This tells us she wants to be healthy.
3. As I say this I also write it on the board. Then I erase my specific terms and the students are left with a sentence frame: Ms. Peck has _______ This tells me ______.
6. As this is a little more intense, they'll be in groups (I like my groups of 3-4 students so divide appropriately) I also assign each group a category: personality, teaching, background
7. Give them some more time (2-5 minutes) to gather more evidence now that they have a category and goal.
8. Encourage students to focus on the evidence they have to create a mini-presentation on what type of teacher Ms. Peck is.
9. Students present!
1. As students present I praise them for their conclusions even if they are wrong..
• Example: I had a student infer I was Native American because of my complexion and the dreamcatcher in my class. I shared I was Mexican and the dream catcher was for a different reason. Then as a class I tried to get them to guess (I taught American literature)
2. Other times they are right but their evidence doesn't support it.
• Example: I had a student infer I loved to travel because of my travel signs in the classroom (that pointed to Rome, London, etc.) I explained those were because I teach World Literature and asked if anyone saw any evidence that I love to travel other that those? (My diploma from Spain, the picture of me riding an elephant)
10. You're done! Congratulations you had a first day where students got to:
• Work in teams
• Find evidence
• Think critically
• Make inferences based on evidence
• Learn about you
• Move around
• I feel awkward calling this student centered, as it's all ABOUT the teacher, but the students do all the heavy lifting.
• And had fun! 

More on inferring

I had an earlier post talking about how my students struggled with inferring. Shortly after, Roque Ehrhardt de Campos from Brazil e-mailed me a story that also showed the importance of proper inferring.

She was in the middle of the road. The noise of my motorbike frightened her and she didn't know which way to run. She just stood there, immobile, watching the motorbike as it came towards her. Suddenly, when we were side by side on the road, she jumped forward in front of me. I tried to stop the motorbike, but it was too late. The motorbike hit her. We fell to the ground and I landed on top of her. For a moment I held her body in my arms. It was warm and soft. She was trembling with fear and her heart was beating fast. In a second, she was on her feet again. She disappeared into the trees at the side of the road. She wasn't hurt  just frightened. I wasn't hurt either but my motorbike was damaged, so I pushed it into the trees and I started to walk home slowly before it became dark. I felt happy and excited. 

Questions you could ask your students.

1. Who did the man hit?

2. What clues does the story give you to let you come to that conclusion?

3. Did you think something different when you first started reading? Why?

4. Why did you decide that your first guess was wrong?

It also reminds me of the riddle

A boy and his father were in a car accident. The father died immediately and the boy was rushed to the hospital. When he arrived the surgeon said, "I can't operate on this boy he's my son." How is this possible?

1. How is it is possible?

2. Why isn't that the first assumption that people come to?

3. Would this riddle be effective in Spanish? Why or why not?

If you by chance don't know the riddle already or need help understanding the first passage just comment and I'll respond with more details.

My students are not the best inferrers

My TOEFL students REALLY struggled with inference in Wednesdays lesson so I gave them a quick worksheet with simple sentences and then asked them to infer. 

•  Example: "Oh honey you don't have to get be anything for my birthday, just being with you is enough. I am going to go to the store now. I hope that my purse doesn't fall apart on the way there. It is so old!"
• Inference: The person would like a purse for their birthday.

They struggled a little, but they improved a lot! They helped each other and when they were stuck I asked questions:

• Example: An older man is running behind a school bus waving a child's lunch box in the air

Me: When do you run?
Students: To stay fit. Because you are late. To get away from someone etc.
Me: Is the man working out?
Students: No, he has a lunch box.
Me: Why would he run with a lunch box?
Students: He needs to give it to someone
Me: Whom might he need to give it to?

• Inference: The man's child is on the bus and has forgotten his lunch.

One of the statements was:  You are giving a presentation for a large audience, and you notice people are laughing quietly at you while they point to the region below your belt.

My students had NO idea. I even had a volunteer come to the front of the class and stand there while I pointed at his general groin area. They were clueless! Once I explained it they all understood, but I was amazed no one got it.

I talked to my boss and a few other people and they got it right away... I wonder why they had so much trouble.

Do you get it?