Breaking the Ice on the First Class: Introducing the Name Game Activity
EDI 600 Psychological Foundation of Education
School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
January 18, 2009
Long Island University, C. W. Post
January 18, 2009
LYesterday afternoon I experienced quite a bit of anxiety. It was not only my first time taking an education course, but also a graduate level course in general. It was quite different to say the least, especially for someone with an undergraduate background in Public Relations. In this journal entry I am going to focus on the group portion of the class after the name game, when we had to do a Q& A and present it the class.
First off, I was glad that we did the name game. I think it allowed us to break the social tension we had before we went into groups. Knowing everybody's name without the awkward introduction just seemed to make it an easier and more pleasant experience. During the initial forming of the groups you could already see everyone's personality starting to come out into the open. I noticed this in particular when we addressed the question of group leader.
This small exercise was actually very revealing, as you could see which people had the natural instinct to assert themselves as a leader. In spite of this there was still a nervous expression in people's faces, but as one person spoke up, more seemed to follow. Before long you could see everybody trying to soak in the dialogue and elaborating with their own opinions and thoughts. In my particular group one got a sense of positive energy when you took your turn to speak. When I spoke I sincerely felt people respected what I had to say. This really came out when we were discussing the question, how would the name game affect you as a teacher in the classroom setting?
I think it is fascinating how a simple name game using pneumonic devices and memory testing could serve to push open the door in discovering about the education process in general. Additionally, I found the second part of presenting to the class on the first day a helpful tool. Almost instantly you had to get used to speaking in front of the class. This will really help to manage your anxiety in future classes and help people concentrate on what is really important, namely the experience of learning rather than being preoccupied by the fear of being put on a stage.
I would have to label the activity an overall success. I think people got a better understanding of each other and will feel free to discuss things in a fun yet professional way. I personally feel better about being open than I did when I first walked into the class. I noticed this with two people in my group that I became a little closer to towards the end of the group discussion. I believe that the group question and answer portion and the overall discussion after wards is what made the class the success that it is. I personally will use this method when I am a teacher to help my class become as successful as the first day was for all of us!
First off, I was glad that we did the name game. I think it allowed us to break the social tension we had before we went into groups. Knowing everybody's name without the awkward introduction just seemed to make it an easier and more pleasant experience. During the initial forming of the groups you could already see everyone's personality starting to come out into the open. I noticed this in particular when we addressed the question of group leader.
This small exercise was actually very revealing, as you could see which people had the natural instinct to assert themselves as a leader. In spite of this there was still a nervous expression in people's faces, but as one person spoke up, more seemed to follow. Before long you could see everybody trying to soak in the dialogue and elaborating with their own opinions and thoughts. In my particular group one got a sense of positive energy when you took your turn to speak. When I spoke I sincerely felt people respected what I had to say. This really came out when we were discussing the question, how would the name game affect you as a teacher in the classroom setting?
I think it is fascinating how a simple name game using pneumonic devices and memory testing could serve to push open the door in discovering about the education process in general. Additionally, I found the second part of presenting to the class on the first day a helpful tool. Almost instantly you had to get used to speaking in front of the class. This will really help to manage your anxiety in future classes and help people concentrate on what is really important, namely the experience of learning rather than being preoccupied by the fear of being put on a stage.
I would have to label the activity an overall success. I think people got a better understanding of each other and will feel free to discuss things in a fun yet professional way. I personally feel better about being open than I did when I first walked into the class. I noticed this with two people in my group that I became a little closer to towards the end of the group discussion. I believe that the group question and answer portion and the overall discussion after wards is what made the class the success that it is. I personally will use this method when I am a teacher to help my class become as successful as the first day was for all of us!
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