Jocelyn Greene: Once you look around at everybody, let’s think, “I might not know everything there is to know about everybody here.” So we’ll play this game, and we can call this our circle of sameness. Come into the center circle if you took a trip this summer.

Because we play circles of sameness, our students feel connected. They feel like they have an opening to talk to each other. They feel like they are part of a larger community and that they know new things about their peers.

Come into the center circle if you have a younger sibling.

Games are an awesome way for kids to get to know each other at the start of the year and for teachers to get to know their students.

Walk into the center circle if you have an older sibling.

Circle of Sameness is a game where you come together with other people when you hear a cue based on what you identify with.

Everybody take your toes and find a spot.

So we had the outside circle, and then I invited kids to come into the circle if the statement applied to them. You can play around with the way you move in the circle.

And last, just do a little hops.

So that it just gets kids into their bodies.

Come into the center if you like to play video games.

You can start with something simple.

Come into the center if you like to cook.

And then things that might make kids feel special.

Now come into the center if you speak more than one language.

Student: Oh, me.

Student: Yep, me.

Jocelyn Greene: OK.

The students don’t have the opportunity to follow up right then and there, so they’re left with a sense of, “I’m curious.”

Come into the center if you in your life have taken care of someone else.

And you can invite them to have that kind of discussion a little later. It’s like you’re planting the seeds for conversation.

Student: I took good care of my siblings and my cat.

Student: I didn’t know you had a cat, but I take care of my sister.

Student: I’ve taken care of my friend.

Jocelyn Greene: The benefit of get-to-know-you games is that you’ve carved out space for kids to be free to express themselves and to find each other through connection.

Student: I’ve taken care of my baby sister.

Jocelyn Greene: And they feel like they’re part of a larger family, which is their school.

The Co-op School

.css-1sk4066:hover{background:#d1ecfa;}Establishing Connections in a New Classroom Community

Establishing Connections in a New Classroom Community