Intermediate Activities for Back-to-School

Back-to-school can be an exciting time of year. Every class and every teacher-student relationship is fresh and new. With that, there is a need for rules and regulations to be clearly explained. Students should know where they stand and where to get assistance, should they need it, in order to have a productive school year. Plan your back-to-school activities with both structure and fun in mind to make the most of this exciting time of year.

Explain the Rules

Many schools have handbooks and/or student agendas that clearly explain school rules. These are places students can look for information about how consequences may occur for breaking school rules. Be sure to outline expectations clearly and openly, so students won't be surprised when and if consequences happen.

Create an Information Hub

One of the fastest ways for misunderstandings to occur is when students don't know where to go to get information about class assignments and other tasks. Make sure you have built a class website or have a weekly paper newsletter to provide students with a centralized location to get information. Students should know where to get assignments if they miss class, have clear due dates that are established early and know where to get help, should they need it. If your district allows it, a class website or blog attached to the school's main page can establish all of these goals. If your district limits access, a paper newsletter can open lines of communication and make students feel more comfortable from the first day going forward into the school year.

Build Community

Community-building games are the best way to get to know new faces. Students will not learn from someone they don't respect, and it's difficult to respect someone who doesn't take the time to get to know you. Play games where they have to interview each other, find people around the room who fulfill certain roles like "plays video games on expert" and "likes to surf." In this way, you can learn about students, they can learn about each other, and the class will begin to build a safe environment for learning and sharing.

References

• Community Building Activities

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