First Day Activities

The first day of school usually proves to be an exhausting day for teachers and a relatively boring day for students. Lots of guidelines, and policies, and syllabi, and not enough activity and FUN. Most of them are excited to be back in school, with all of there friends, and in a safe environment. We should capitalize on that concept!

My first day activities always include 2 key ingredients: the "Syllabus Scavenger Hunt" and an activity that gets them engaged and speaking.

The Syllabus Scavenger Hunt takes the typical policy review to a fun level. I make a list of the key information I want the students to review with me the first day of class. I create a PowerPoint presentation with each key point phrased as a question and appearing on mouse clicks. Some of the questions have follow-up questions (How many performances do we have this year? When are they?).

For each correct answer, I give the student a small piece of candy; I usually buy one of those humongous bags of candy, such as Dum-dums, Jolly Ranchers, or a mix of types of candy. I call on a different student for each answer if the question has multiple answers. There are enough questions in the activity that every student is able to earn one piece, if not two or three pieces of candy.

Yes, it is a bit like bribing them to participate, but yes, it works! They look through the syllabus to find the answers as quick as they can.

Most recently, the activity that got them engaged and speaking was an online resource: Incredibox.

In between the Scavenger Hunt and this activity, I shared with the students what I had been doing over the summer (knee surgery, my garden, my Musikgarten classes, etc.) and I wanted them to share something about their summer. Usually just asking them to share out-loud earns me eye-rolls and groaning. But I added a twist.

I demonstrated the coolness that is Incredibox, then made the stipulation that if they wanted the opportunity to interact with the program, they would have to share, out-loud, something about their summer. Hook, line, and sinker. They were so enthralled with the program that they were BEGGING to share! It really gave me the chance to get to know them, while they just wanted to "play the game."

If you are not familiar with Incredibox, go play with it now for a few minutes. I'll wait here...

...

Fun, right? It exposes students to the concepts of looping and phrases and effects, while seeming like a game. My 6-year-old loves to play it at home!

After the student shared a detail from their summer, they could interact in whatever method they wanted to with the program: add a character, delete/add a character, mute a character, or mute everyone except that character. And my classroom students picked up on the bonus fills very quickly; some would watch the screen carefully and then volunteer to speak when the bonus was activated :)

This activity does require a computer with internet access and a method to display the screen for the entire class to view, as well as a decent set of speakers.

What activities work for you first day? If you do try Incredibox, stop by and comment with how your students interacted with it. Have a great start to the school year!

Music Class Reward Programs

Over this year in my classroom, I have organized two types of reward programs: one program to reward band students for "performing" above and beyond the class requirement and one program to encourage my general music students to make good behavior choices.


BAND: IT'S REWARDING!

As with many band directors, I have struggled with how to recognize students who are motivated to complete additional assignments beyond the class assignment such as scales, practicing, and attending performances outside of school. This year, I experimented with this program:

Activities, point values, and reward levels

Each additional assignment is assigned a point value; I also remain open to any suggestions from students for assignments I haven't considered. As the students accumulate points, they reach prize points. I printed class rosters, posted them on the wall, and keep track of the points in a prominent area of the classroom.

Class rosters and point tally

For my highly motivated students, this gives them the recognition they desire. For the slightly motivated students, this gives them the kick in the butt to work just a bit harder. For the rest, not much difference in their choices, however it is not viewed as a negative consequence.


STAR STUDENTS

Prior to winter break, my 6th grade general music students began making very poor behavior choices. So I spent a few days devising a rewards program to encourage them to make the good behavior choices.

Class Dojo, star-shaped hole punch, reward cards

Using ClassDojo (online and iPad app), I created class rosters for each class and set up the lists of desired behaviors (positive, green points) and undesired behaviors (negative, red points). During the class period, I keep track of each student's behavior choices. By the end of the period, they need to have earned more positives than negatives and be "in the green." This earns them a "star:" I hole punch a star onto the reward card. Stars can be redeemed for prizes such as candy, key-chains, or special privileges.

Within 4 days (I see my student every other day), the reward program was paying off. The students who consistently make good behavior choices are rewarded for these choices. The students who sometimes make poor behavior choices have a reason to choose positive behaviors. Of course, there are still a few (approximately 1 per class) that this program does not work for since they find more power and control in their current poor behavior. We can't win them all, but we can encourage those on the "fence" to make appropriate choices.