{"id":7744,"date":"2022-08-16T23:34:33","date_gmt":"2022-08-17T03:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/?page_id=7744"},"modified":"2023-02-03T15:07:23","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T20:07:23","slug":"build-community-and-foster-belonging","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/pedagogical-strategies-that-support-learning\/build-community-and-foster-belonging\/","title":{"rendered":"Build Community and Foster Belonging Using Icebreakers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Using ice breakers and other activities throughout the semester allows students to get to know one another and to begin to see and care about each other as individuals, building and maintaining community. Icebreakers allow students to see connections with other students, fostering belonging.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Sample Icebreakers for Cultivating Community<\/h2>\n

Sample social icebreakers from Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Interviews<\/strong><\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • Put students in pairs.<\/li>\n
  • Create and distribute a handout with a few questions as a conversation starter: What is your name? What is your academic major? Why did you choose your major? Why are you taking this class?<\/li>\n
  • Ask students to alternate interviewing each other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    (Barkley et al., 2014, p. 59)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Connections<\/strong><\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • Put students in different groups of 3-4. In their groups, students list as many things as they can that they all have in common.<\/li>\n
  • Each group reports back to the rest of the class after the small group discussion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    (Barkley et al., 2014, p. 60)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Soundtrack of your life<\/strong><\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • Have students share a) a set of 5-10 songs that represent the soundtrack of their lives or b) a set of 6 songs with 2 representing their past, 2 representing their present, and 2 representing their future.<\/li>\n
  • Then ask students to explain why they included each song.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    (Dunlap & Lowenthal, 2010, p. 62)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Where are you from?<\/strong><\/td>\n\n
Your favorite quote<\/strong><\/td>\n\n