Geoff:
LOL! Long story short: there was a small group of girls grades 10-12 who became close-knit throughout high school and we all gave ourselves space cadet names: "Solar Sandy," "Lunar Linda," "Galactic Gail," "Inter-planet Janet." We were also Star Trek devotees and into punk rock and new wave music. The years were 1979-81. Unfortunately, I am no longer cosmic by our standards back then: I do not wear purple Vidal Sassoon corduroys, blast the B-52's out of my '73 Maverick, or have '80s poof hair with pink hi-lights. Although I think students will enjoy the icebreaker, as their teacher I probably won't reveal my past identity, or they will really think I'm in outer space!
From: Geoffrey Layton <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: First Day Icebreakers for College English
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Friday, August 19, 2011, 1:22 PM
This is too good! All of these suggestions can be used to relate the intial first day(s) activities back to writing - i.e., "Cosmic Carol" is a "hook." What's more interesting - "Hi, my name is Carol." Or, "Hi, back in the day, they called me 'Cosmic Carol'!" This exercise also relates to "known/new" information. For example, "Cosmic Carol" requires (yes, requires!) new information - most immediately, we absolutely need to know if you are still "Cosmic" (and if so, how have you maintained your "cosmicity"), or has that quality somehow been altered (and if so, what happened?). We also need more "old" information - what, precisely, was/is a "Cosmic Carol"? What are "cosmic" qualities? What created your cosmicity? Geoff Layton
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:06:43 -0700 From: [log in to unmask]Subject: Re: First Day Icebreakers for College English To: [log in to unmask]
Linda: Another great idea! I actually used to go by the nickname "Cosmic Carol" in high school. I think students would enjoy that and also the adjectives would serve as mnemonic devices to help them remember each other's names.
--- On Fri, 8/19/11, Linda Comerford <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: Linda Comerford <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: First Day Icebreakers for College English
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Friday, August 19, 2011, 12:52 PM
One quick icebreaker idea I use during a short grammar workshop is to have the students introduce themselves with a adjective that starts with the same letter as their first name. For example, I would be "Lively Linda." They have fun with that, refer to themselves by their adjective names throughout the class, and get a painless introduction to using adjective.
Regards,
Lively Linda~
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Thank you John, and everyone for all of the helpful advice. I really felt stuck or hung up on the first day for some reason and all of these ideas should provide for a very rich first couple of classes. I am planning on doing student introductions the first day as well. I think using grammar/writing terminology right away is wise too, so students will become familiar with the lingo and not make the grammar a separate part of the learning or secondary to the writing. (Even though they have a separate grammar handbook). I plan on using all of these ideas! Thanx again.
From: John Dews-Alexander <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: First Day Icebreakers for College English
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Friday, August 19, 2011, 9:13 AM
I think introductions around the room are helpful for all if class size allows for it. I always provide a structure for the introduction because I remember what it was like not knowing exactly what to say. On the first day of any language arts class, I enjoy discussions that emphasizes the cooperative, non-lecture-only type of environment. My initial goal is to get the students thinking about what English/Language Arts classes are really all about and what they encompass. We look at the overlap of grammar, composition, and literature and how they are difficult to appreciate/study in isolation, without reference to each other. I want them to understand WHY we will touch on all of those things. A grammar survey is also applicable--not a survey of skill but one of experience. In other words, I want to gague the level of "grammarphobia" in the class and get a sense of the students' experiences (or lack
thereof) with grammar and language analysis (word level, sentence level, paragraph level, etc.). Best of luck! You'll do great! John
On Thu, Aug 18, 2011 at 3:59 PM, Carol Morrison <[log in to unmask]" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">[log in to unmask]> wrote:
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The days are flying by as I rapidly approach the first day of class on 8/31, and I am trying to think of a good first day plan for introducing myself and my courses to the students. My final schedule will now be (2) sections of COMP 101 and (1) section of Basic Writing. Aside from handing out the syllabus, and introducing myself to the class, do any of you have some good ideas for day #1? We used to do a diagnostic essay, but the college has done away with that, which I am relieved about for many reasons: mock “grading” or commenting on student writing before class has even commenced and also the idea that this essay will somehow diagnose what illnesses the students’ writing suffers from or what might plague it. Another term that has been used is “writing sample,” which I also find off-putting, maybe because it conjures up the
image of a urine sample which will be tested to see if it comes out “clean.” Anyway, I think the first day is important for many reasons: it is the first impression the students will have of me as their instructor and also can be a deal breaker for some students who will drop after the first day if they don’t like what they experience. Any ideas? I am also presuming at least half of the students will not have purchased texts, so I don't want to dive right into that the first day.
Thanks so much.
Carol Morrison
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