No Ice Breakers Please
Seriously, if you teach any grade above fifth or sixth, stop doing Ice Breakers! They are a waste of time!
The new school year is about to begin and I have already cringed, having seen a few posts mentioning ice breakers as great ways for students to get to know each other.
Why not let the ice melt from shared experiences throughout the year?
Community comes from shared experiences and reflection, not silly games or activities.
Challenges, struggles, tears, laughter, embarrassment, frustrations, boredom, excitement are the ultimate Ice Breakers…
In my suburban middle school, many of the students have grown up with each other since kindergarten. At some level, they already know each other.
I have seen and know of many teachers who do “Ice Breakers” activities the first two days of the school year, smiling along to biography bingo games and travel trivia. Unfortunately, those smiles turn upside down the third day of school, only to be seen again in June.
I think the metaphor of Ice Breakers is a bad image.
Ice is being broken. I use an ice pick to break ice. Ice picks shatter ice all over, leaving random sized chunks and slivers of ice all over the counter. You pick up some of the larger chuncks and put them in your martini shaker, leaving the slivers to melt on the counter.
The big chunks of ice often become classroom cliques. The slivers often become outsiders sitting silently, not getting noticed by anyone.
Why not let the ice melt from shared experiences throughout the year?
As students warm up to each other, ice begins to melt, rising the tide and all the ships. This image from Rush’s song “Natural Science” is an excellent image of each one of my classes each year:
When the ebbing tide retreats
Along the rocky shoreline
It leaves a trail of tidal pools
In a short-lived galaxy
Each microcosmic planet
A complete society
Why not let the first day ice eventually, naturally melt into year long nourishment for the class community?
About The Author
rushtheiceberg
Other posts byrushtheiceberg
Author his web sitehttp://www.rushtheiceberg.com
RT @rushtheiceberg: No Ice Breakers Please | Rush the Iceberg http://t.co/WhHzLbTW #edchat #midleved
Ahhh…i was going to write the same post!! Totally agree.
“Why not let the ice melt from shared experiences throughout the year?”
I’m so with you. Our “ice breaker” will be working in teams solving problems, doing a mini-project, sharing our stories, negotiating norms and setting up rituals the first week.
Provocative post by @rushtheiceberg: No Ice Breakers Please | Rush the Iceberg http://t.co/ZCKDuQuV #midleved #introvertshateicebreakers
” No Ice Breakers Please.” http://t.co/F11rCnGF via @rushtheiceberg HT @johntspencer #edchat
What makes grades before five and six more appropriate for icebreakers?
@Frank
Thanks for the comment! I have been thinking of my response to your questions for a few days now…I think I might have written out of ignorance of elementary pedagogy. It seems to me that games are much more prevelent at the elementary level. In addition, games are played throughout the year, whereas in middle school, many teachers will play games the first two days of school and then never again. For the record, I do think along with many other middle school teachers should incorporate more games into their pedagogy!
RT @rushtheiceberg: No Ice Breakers Please | Rush the Iceberg http://t.co/WhHzLbTW #edchat
I agree on the claim,” Community comes from shared experiences and reflection, not silly games or activities.” If we want to create a sense of community we need to address its deepest and often not shared experiences.
However, I also think the post is contextual. When you are the new teacher of a new group of children who have never met, games and fun activities can be an effective way to let them know about one another. It is just a first and much needed step towards building a community.
@Cristina…
Thanks again for the comment! I like that you mentioned the “often not shared experiences.” There is so much differentiation and focus on the individual, those often not shared experiences are not acknowledged, along with their power and humanity. I wonder how class and school communities would change if we acknowledge those often not shared experiences?
I agree, the post is certainly contextual. I wrote it in the hopes of throwing a wrench into a rarely questioned activity at the beginning of the school year. I think the ice breakers activities can be utilized throughout the year, not just the first day!