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VOLUME XII, NUMBER 27

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS

PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W. K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID W. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION

 

Creating Community in the Community College Classroom...

or, It’s Okay to Break the Silence

Almost every community college instructor has
experienced the uncomfortable sound of silence that
occurs On opening day each semester as students enter
the classroom and quietly, warily take their seats,
watching and waiting. As instructors we tend to stand
at the door and cheerfully greet each student, or calmly
wait behind the podium pretending to concentrate on a
last-minute paper shuffle, or enthusiastically hurry into
the classroom after all the students have found seats.
Regardless of how we begin, silence and an accompany-
ing sense of distance persist.

At this moment the “community” in community
college becomes a misnomer. Unlike four-year residen-
tial colleges where a sense of community among
students develops as a result of dorm life, social clubs,
varsity sports, or Greek organizations, rarely is there a
ready-made community for community college stu-
dents unless the instructor takes time to create one.
Creating a community within the classroom begins
when students interact with other students in such a
way that connections begin to form.

Ice breakers and warm-up activities encourage the
building of a classroom community. Instructors dis-
cover that ice breakers not only help students get to
know and like each other, but such connections reduce
attrition, involve students in their own learning, and
improve classroom discussion and interaction.

What follows is a series of ice breakers that work.
Some are more practical for small discussion groups;
others work better in large Iccture settings. Some can be
accomplished in three to five minutes; others require
more time. All are classroom-tested by successful
community college instructors.

Paired Interviews

For this ice breaker, allow five minutes total inter-
view time and, depending on group size and time
constraints, 15 to 60 seconds reporting time per person.
e Pair students quickly (if one student remains, you act

as his/her partner until a latecomer arrives).

e Ask students to interview each other. For the first
two minutes, one partner is the interviewer; when

you call “time” after two minutes, the partners

switch roles.

e The interview can be structured; you can give sug-
gestions or specific questions to ask: Name? Where
did you grow up? What is your favorite leisure-time
activity? Why are you taking this. course?

e At the end of the four minutes of interview time,
begin the reporting back phase, indicating to the
students how much time each should spend intro-
ducing his or her partner. Model the activity by
reporting first.

Students enjoy learning about each other and about
you; they reveal more information about each other
than they would if asked to introduce themselves. This
activity also provides an excellent way for you to begin
learning students’ names. As students introduce each
other, jot down names and make an impromptu,
informal seating chart. Then, for the remainder of the
class period, you can call students by name.

Index Card—You Tell Me, I’ll Tell You
This ice breaker takes little time and works well for

any size group. It serves to help you gain rapport with

students.

¢ Distribute two index cards to each person, making
certain the cards are different (i.e., color, size, lined/
unlined).

¢ Ask the students to use one card (specify which) to
tell you anything they want you to know about them
as individuals. It can be specific to the class or just to
them. Indicate that you would like the student's
name on the card and that you consider this card
confidential. (You will be surprised at the candor
students exhibit. Students have written such com-
ments as: “Please don’t call on me to read out loud”;
“T’ve always done badly in math, and I’m afraid Ill
fail this class.”)

¢ Collect these cards while students are completing the
second set.

¢ On the second set, ask students to write a question
about you or the course. Indicate no names are
necessary and that you'll answer the questions.

 

 

EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)
Community College Leadership Program, The University of Texas at Austin