Getting to know your students
It is very important to get to know your students early in the semester. Develop a photographic seating chart and conduct a student survey to gather information about those you teach. Remember, you teach people, not subject matter. The following is a list of questions you might wish to ask to gather information about your students. Select ones that are relevant, and add new ones to fit your needs. Because of the personal nature, surveys should be optional.
Informational questions
- What are your hobbies?
- What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
- What profession/occupation are you most interested in?
- Do you plan to go to college? If so, where would you like to go?
- Do you know anyone (other than a teacher) who has gone to college? If so, who?
- What other science classes have you taken?
- Why did you enroll in this class?
Free response. Complete the following sentences..
- My friends are…
- School is…
- I can’t understand why…
- I feel bad when…
- I wish my teachers…
- The best thing about me is…
- If I could change one thing about myself, I would change…
- Going to college is…
- People think I…
- On weekends, I…
- My family…
- To me, homework is…
- I hope I’ll never…
- When I finish high school…
- I’m afraid when…
- I am at my best when…
Games for helping students get to know each other
