Whether your school carnival happens as a fall festival or an end-of-year party, the right decor can help make the carnival an official big-top event. Our bundle of 70 printable carnival station signs includes everything you need to organize your next carnival. Download and laminate them so they can be used year after year.
Download our free set of carnival signs with options for food, drink, games, and other booths. Just enter your email in the form on this page!
What carnival station signs are included?
We’ve included signs for 70 classic carnival stations, from cornhole and Ping-Pong to admission and tickets. Use these signs to plan and set up a carnival, and you’ll have every game covered!
Here’s a small sample of the signs included in the bundle:
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Admission
Let people know where the fun is with an admission sign. Print multiple copies of this sign and post them along the road leading up to school so people know where to start.
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Tickets
Start at the ticket booth. Selling tickets that people can use to play the games turns a carnival into a fundraiser.
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
Photo Booth
Create memories with a photo booth. Include school-themed props. Students can take photos with their own cameras, or have someone take photos to share.
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Water Gun Race
This is a game of skill and accuracy. Line up Ping-Pong balls and have players try to shoot them off using a water gun.
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
Grab footballs from the gym and use them in this fun game. The person who tosses the football across a yard line wins.
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Cornhole
Bring cornhole to your school by making or painting cornhole boards in your school colors.
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Flamingo Toss
Use flamingo floaties and Ping-Pong balls to create a simple yet tricky game of accuracy.
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Prize Punch Board
Elementary schools need this activity. Students turn in a ticket for a chance to punch a prize. Everyone is a winner!
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Leap Frog
This is a carnival game you might remember from your childhood. Build a game that combines strength with chance.
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Guessing Game
Fill a jar with candy or other small objects and have students guess how many there are.
Download your free printable bundle of carnival signs!
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
To get your free printable bundle of all 70 signs, just click the button below and fill out the simple form on this page for instant access.
Social-emotional learning (SEL) gets a lot of attention these days, and for good reason. SEL activities help support academic success by building resilience, critical thinking, and self-awareness. Some schools use SEL curriculum programs, but every teacher can (and should) find multiple ways to incorporate social-emotional learning activities throughout the day.
Social-emotional skills include self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship building, and decision-making. When you choose learning activities that help students think about feelings, build relationships, resolve conflict, and make good decisions, you’re supporting their social-emotional growth. We’ve rounded up a big collection of ideas for every grade, including middle school and high school SEL activities. Choose a few to try with your students!
Get a set of free printable posters with coping strategies for kids and teens. Just fill out the form on this page to get them!
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Preschool and Elementary School SEL Activities
The sooner you start incorporating social-emotional learning activities into your school day, the better. Young kids are still learning to recognize their emotions, communicate their feelings, and manage their reactions to the world around them. Focusing on SEL activities at this point helps develop resilient critical thinkers who develop good relationships with their peers as well as adults. Check out these ideas and free resources, designed especially for pre-K through grade 5.
1. Reference an emotions bulletin board
Little kids have big feelings, and they need to learn the words to match their emotions. Use this free bulletin board kit to create a reference for students as they’re learning feelings. You can use it for a number of social-emotional learning activities. Have students identify the way they are feeling during morning meeting. Or for older students, use the bulletin board to name feelings and synonyms for various feelings. You can also have students refer to the bulletin board when they are analyzing literature and characters’ feelings.
2. Start the day with a greeting
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Start the day at your classroom door greeting each student. Use this greeting sign to give students choice in how they greet you each day. A daily greeting starts the day off on a positive note and gives you a quick check-in with each student. Kindergartners may want to tell you all about their weekend, while you may notice that a high schooler is looking stressed.
Talk about feelings on the regular. Use this feelings bundle for various social-emotional learning activities. You can incorporate a feelings check-in each day with younger students and provide older students with all the words they need to describe their feelings in a journal prompt. The more practice students have at expressing their feelings, the better they are at managing them.
4. Use transition time for mental health check-ins
Stephanie Sanders for We Are Teachers
When you’re transitioning from one activity to another, take advantage of the brain break time to sneak in some social-emotional learning activities. Help students check in with how they’re feeling, then reinforce that self-awareness by having students do things like breathing like an animal or striking a yoga pose.
Another way for students to check in with their emotions is using the Zones of Regulation. Students identify their feeling zone using colors. Once they know their zone, they can identify which strategy to use to get back to green (if they’re not already there).
Students are better able to learn, build relationships, and increase social awareness when they’re listening. Teach or reinforce whole body listening so students know what listening looks like, and how to manage their bodies so they understand what others say to them. Note that students with ADHD, autism, and sensory processing challenges may not be able perform whole body listening in the same way other students do, but we can make accommodations for students based on what we know they need to be successful.
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7. Build in behavior reflection
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As students develop self-awareness and self-management skills, reflecting on their behaviors is an important step. Use behavior reflection sheets to guide students’ reflection and turn behavior situations into a learning opportunity.
8. Create a calm-down corner
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A calm-down corner is a space students can go to when they need space to manage their emotions. Even going to the calm-down corner when they are overwhelmed or upset shows that students are developing self-awareness and self-management skills. You can include a variety of social-emotional learning activities in your calm-down corner, such as fidgets and breathing exercises.
A calm-down strategy that students can take with them, a DIY calming jar is a great craft that you can use to talk about the importance of emotional regulation and self-management.
For young students and students with disabilities who require explicit instruction in social skills, a social story is a great way to teach them step-by-step approaches for social situations. For all students, social stories can help develop social awareness.
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11. Make DIY stress balls
Tom Dittl for We Are Teachers
Part classroom craft project, part SEL activity, DIY stress balls are so much fun! Make them using balloons, slime, beads, and more.
Classroom jobs build self-management and responsibility skills. While younger students ask for classroom jobs, they’re effective for high schoolers too—the tasks of whiteboard cleaner and technology helper come to mind.
Understanding diversity is important for self-awareness and relationship building. Engage students in thinking about how they are unique and how our diversity makes us stronger.
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14. Get a classroom pet
Want to teach kids about responsibility in an incredibly meaningful way? A class pet could be the answer! When kids work together to care for a hamster, goldfish, lizard, or tarantula(!), they have to make responsible choices about what’s best for the animal. Sure, it’s a challenge for the adults involved, but the benefits can really add up.
If we want kids to make smart decisions, we’ve got to give them the chance to make choices on their own. One way to do this in the classroom is using choice boards. These interactive tools give kids several options to choose from on an assignment. They can evaluate the possibilities, and choose the one that seems right to them.
Tired of hearing kids whine, “But that’s not fair!”? Build students’ social awareness with teacher Aimee Scott’s fairness lesson. Her quick and simple exercise helps kids understand that fairness doesn’t mean everyone gets the same thing—it means everyone gets what they need to be successful.
As students learn about social-emotional skills, encourage them to think about their SEL superpower, or the skills they are best at. Once students have identified their superpower, talk about how they can use their SEL superpowers to help others. To share your superpowers, draw superheroes, put students’ pictures on each one, and write about your SEL superpowers and how your students use them around school.
We love the idea of giving kids and their families feedback on their SEL skill development. An alternative progress report like the one this teacher uses can help kids zero in on their strengths and weaknesses.
19. Help kids learn what smart decisions look like
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It takes guidance and practice to learn to make smart decisions. Teaching kids to be safe in a variety of situations without scaring them or taking away their self-confidence can be tricky. Check out our ideas for teaching safety to young kids on these topics:
Middle School and High School SEL Activities
Don’t abandon social-emotional learning activities as kids get older. Instead, find ways to adjust and adapt them to support tweens and teens and the increasingly complex SEL situations they face. These SEL activities work well with older students and are easy to incorporate in pretty much any classroom.
20. Model and practice positive self-talk
The words students tell themselves impacts their self-management, persistence, and ultimately their success. Model and reinforce positive self-talk with a self-talk poster. Use these phrases when you’re doing think-alouds and prompting students, and encourage them to do the same.
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21. Use the Worry Iceberg
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Building emotional resilience includes understanding how first impressions can be incomplete. Help students develop emotional resilience with a Worry Iceberg activity. Have students think about a situation that made them anxious. What could they see? What was also happening underneath? How does knowing the whole “iceberg” help them understand the situation? And what can they do in the future to get the whole “iceberg” when a situation arises?
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22. Try calming mind-body exercise worksheets
Older students can use meditative exercises like coloring mandalas or doing guided visualizations. Use a variety of mindfulness exercises so each student can find one that works for them.
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23. Explore empathy scenarios
Help students understand and work through common scenarios that engage their empathy as they think about the scenario, how they would feel, and what they would do.
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24. Play Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) can be a fantastic classroom game, and it encompasses a wide range of social-emotional learning activities. Players need to work together, know their own strengths and weaknesses, make smart choices, and so much more.
Encourage active listening and communication skills with this classroom idea. After taking some time to think about a topic, a small group of students discusses the issue while other students watch and take notes. After a time, the teacher opens the discussion to the entire group, using notes they made while they watched the small-group discussion.
Let’s face it: Tweens and teens aren’t necessarily focusing much on safety—their own or anyone else’s. So it’s important for the adults in their lives to help them learn why safe choices matter and what they look like to begin with. Try these free resources to help kids make smart decisions about:
27. Discuss philosophical questions
One of the most incredible ways to encourage critical thinking and self-exploration is to ask kids thought-provoking questions. Hearing the responses and exchanging ideas can really expand our perspectives and leave us with important food for thought.
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28. Talk about tough topics
School shootings, racially motivated violence, abortion, gun control—these are topics most teachers tend to shy away from in the classroom. The thing is, kids need a safe place to talk about these issues. They need adults who will help them sort out their thinking and separate fact from opinion. Students need to learn to respectfully disagree with one another and how to have constructive conversations that may lead to compromise.
With small adjustments, these SEL activities work for preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school. Remind students that even adults need to keep their social-emotional skills sharp. Everyone can benefit from resilience, self-confidence, and good decision-making!
29. Practice positive affirmations
The way students talk to themselves impacts how they persist, feel about their day, and how they interact with others. Use these daily affirmation cards to help students develop positive self-talk. Pass them out at the start of a week and have students reflect on what each statement means to them. Can they incorporate their statement into their internal talk this week? At the end of the week, have them share or write a reflection about how the statement shaped their week.
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30. Start a daily mindfulness routine
At the start of a lesson or day, take a few minutes for mindfulness. Choose mindfulness activities that match your class. Yoga for a busy bunch, music for older students, or a guided meditation for students who love to visualize a story.
Younger students can get in the habit of writing their thoughts and feelings with weekly journal prompts. Older students can use a mindfulness journal to track how they feel and what they’re thinking across a week, month, or school year.
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32. Take regular brain breaks
Brain breaks—where you completely set aside academic work and spend time moving, listening, or even being silent—help students reset and get ready for more learning. These quick social-emotional learning activities are great for students of all ages, from one-minute dance breaks to a quick series of yoga stretches.
Morning meeting is an important part of elementary school and provides a time for students to reflect on their feelings and actions, talk about concerns that arise during the day, or engage in collaborative decision-making. Even in the upper grades, a once-a-week 10-minute check-in can serve the same purpose.
Setting goals contributes to responsibility, but it doesn’t come naturally. We have to teach students how to set meaningful, reasonable targets, and then give them the tools to track their progress. Seeing how they are progressing also helps students build resilience and perspective.
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35. Read SEL stories and books
A story can be a model for social-emotional skills or it can introduce students to scenarios they haven’t experienced yet. For younger students, read a picture book and talk about what happens and how the characters feel. For older students, read and discuss novels with SEL themes. Our list includes picks for every grade level.
Building new habits takes time and persistence. Use a habit tracker to keep track of how students are progressing toward their goals.
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37. Play a cooperative game
Kids get plenty of exposure to healthy (and unhealthy) competition, so use classroom time to shift the focus to cooperation instead. Cooperative games encourage kids to communicate, collaborate, and problem-solve together. Point out the skills they’re using during the cooperative games that will help them in relationships as well.
Icebreakers are great for the first day of school, but you can actually incorporate them all year long. Use them when you form new project groups, or when you change the seating around in your room. Talking about different topics helps students practice conversation skills.
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39. Incorporate service learning projects into your curriculum
Service learning projects get kids involved in their communities, finding and implementing solutions to real-world problems. These take some time to plan and execute well, but the social-emotional learning skills kids pick up along the way make all the hard work worth it.
This free set of printable kindness posters helps spread important messages. When you first put them up, take time to discuss them with your students. Ask them for examples of what kindness looks like, and encourage them to share stories of a time when their kindness made a difference.
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41. Create collaborative art
Art is about expressing your individuality, but you can also make something pretty incredible when people pool their talents. Murals, hallway and bathroom displays, kindness rock gardens, and other art projects bring students together to bond over creativity and artistic vision.
Use a bullet journal or list to reinforce gratitude. In younger classrooms, have students call out the things they are grateful for and create a class list. With older students, spend the last five minutes of each class or week reflecting on what they are grateful for.
Upstanders reach out to others, especially those who seem like they might be hurting or struggling. Teach kids about the concept, their role in helping build classroom community and helping those who might not feel included, and hang these free printable upstander posters in your classroom. The tear tags offer positive affirmations.
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44. Use videos to teach relationship building
Everyone can use a reminder about how to make and keep friends. Use friendship videos in morning meeting to talk about how to make and keep friends. With older students, use them as a friendly and funny reminder of what students likely already know but might not be practicing. As students learn more about relationships, use anti-bullying videos to start a conversation about this topic.
Whether kids are playing to win or working together to achieve a common goal, board games teach lots of decision-making skills. Players have to analyze information, consider their options, and imagine the impacts of their moves on themselves and others. Keep a supply on hand for students to play during indoor recess, or schedule a game day once a quarter just for fun!
46. Build and nurture a growth mindset in every student
Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers
Harness the power of “yet” by helping students understand that just because they can’t do something the first time doesn’t mean they should stop trying. A growth mindset leads to resilient students who know how to persevere in the face of setback and ask for help when they need it.
Teacher Erin Castillo popularized this concept on her Instagram account, and now teachers everywhere are using it. We love it as a unique way to take attendance or as a bell-ringer/entry activity. All you do is post a question on your whiteboard and ask students to respond (anonymously or with names attached) using sticky notes. You can use “Would You Rather” questions or try these SEL prompts to really get students thinking and sharing.
Students love the interactivity of an escape room, where they have to work together to solve a series of problems before their time is up. Escape rooms encourage a lot of responsible decision-making skills, both individually and as a group.
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49. Read the news as a class
If you’re going to make smart decisions, you need to be informed. But many kids only learn about the news and current events from single news sources, perhaps TikTok or whatever’s playing on their TV at home. Show students how to find a variety of sources to learn about current events. Teach them to think critically and evaluate articles to separate provable facts from opinion. Many teachers love using Newsela, since the articles can be differentiated for different reading levels.
As students are working on math problems, have them jot down how they’re feeling at each step of the process. They can jot down emojis or words that show where they were confident, confused, distracted, or frustrated. This can be helpful when reviewing work and thinking about how their emotional state impacted their learning.
Don’t forget to download your free posters with coping strategies for kids and teens!
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Get a set of free printable posters with coping strategies for preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school. Just fill out the form on this page to grab your free posters!
Whether an elected student council in high school or a teacher-nominated student council in elementary school, student council members are the ambassadors of school spirit. School spirit is comprised of all the events that make everyone feel they are part of something greater than themselves. Your student council is the perfect group to take school spirit to the next level.
Use these fun ideas to foster school spirit to inspire your student council. There are options for community service, school-wide initiatives, and plain old fun.
1. Dress Like a Teacher Day
Kids love to imitate their favorite teachers, so what better way than to host a Dress Like a Teacher Day? Students dress as their most influential teachers for the day. Expand the idea to include famous teachers (Janine from Abbott Elementary anyone?).
Recruit green-minded students and start a garden club with a focus on sustainability and community involvement. In spring, you can harvest early vegetables and pass out samples (a la Costco) in the lunchroom.
Every school sports event needs a good cowbell! Use craft paint and ribbons in your school’s colors to create custom cowbells for pep rallies and sporting events.
5. Hold a lip-synch battle
It’s karaoke night but with school spirit. Students sign up to lip-synch their favorite songs. End the battle with the school song.
6. Put on a talent show
You have many students with talents that aren’t showcased every day. Put on a talent show to let those talents—e.g., dance, singing, drums—shine.
Try a mini version of Top Chef by hosting a pie-baking or cookie-making contest. Recruit the home ec teacher to coordinate and choose judges. Film the competition, then stream it for students in homeroom.
8. Host a book donation project
Adrienne Hathaway for We Are Teachers
Not everyone has access to Wi-Fi or e-books, and getting to the library can be challenging. Create a drop box at your school where classmates can donate books. Then, using a survey tool like Survey Monkey or Google Forms, reach out to families to find out who wants books and where to deliver them. Work with your advisor to create a plan for delivery.
9. Plan a design-a-mask challenge
One of our favorite student council ideas is a little outside the box. Challenge classmates to come up with a design for a mask that celebrates school spirit. Then, pick your three favorites. Create a video where you interview each classmate and ask them about their design and how it represents your school. If you have the funds, work with a local print shop to get the masks made, and sell them to raise money for your school.
10. Hold a trivia contest
Nothing brings people together like trivia! A trivia contest is a fun homeroom idea. Or you can hold it in the lunchroom to include a mix of people.
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11. Put together a Senior Spotlight
Celebrate your seniors by broadcasting highlights of their greatest accomplishments on social media. Create a standard page and adjust it for each senior.
This makes a great annual tradition that builds school pride and stronger neighborhood-school ties. Students, teachers, staff, parents, and alumni get together to participate in a day of service in the community, whether by cleaning up sidewalks, planting trees, visiting seniors, or serving at food banks.
13. Create a school cheer
Simple or complicated? It’s up to your school! Make your school cheer catchy so that years from now, it will still pop into alums’ heads and remind them of the good times they had at your school. This activity is a good opportunity to collaborate with your school’s cheer squad.
14. Send teachers thank-you notes
Naomi Meredith at We Are Teachers
Draft personalized letters to teachers and school staff to thank them for being a part of your school community. Consider sharing this meaningful gesture as an activity for back to school, end of year, Teacher Appreciation Week, or Activity Advisor Appreciation Day.
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15. Highlight your school’s diversity with holiday hallway decorations
Welcome classmates back from winter or spring break with holiday hallways. Decorate school hallways for different cultural traditions to educate students about different holidays around the world.
16. Host a Color Run
A Color Run is a healthy and fun way to show your school spirit. Students wear a shirt they don’t mind getting dirty and run around a track while teachers throw colored chalk on them. Take lots of photos—you’ll want this one in the yearbook.
17. Make spirit shakers
Another super-fun activity from our favorite student council ideas. Use liter soda bottles and pony beads in your school colors. Add curling ribbons to the lid and ribbons around the middle of the bottle. Then use them at school pep rallies and sporting events.
18. Set up a virtual calming room
School can get stressful, especially during exams or big projects. Link guided meditations, online puzzles and games, yoga videos, and other fun ways to take a break to your school’s website.
Examples: We are Eagles. We are considerate. We are responsible. Engage with your school principal to craft a mantra that reflects your unique school culture. You could even have specific mottoes for each grade.
20. Surprise your rival school with positivity
Spread kindness and positivity to your rival school! Surprise them by decorating their sidewalks or hanging posters with positive messages during the evening or over a weekend.
21. Use a spirit can
Jointly sponsor a spirit can in partnership with the cheer team. During school events and game time-outs, student council members or cheerleaders lift the lid on the spirit can, signaling for the crowd to cheer. The higher the lid is lifted, the louder the crowd cheers. As the lid is lowered to the can, the crowd becomes softer. The spirit can holds T-shirts and candy, which can be thrown out to the loudest fans.
22. Design a school spirit stick
Use your creativity to make a spirit stick with your school colors. Use an empty gallon water bottle, a broomstick, beads, and ribbon. Award the stick on a revolving basis to the grade or class that shows the most school spirit throughout the year.
23. Create decade-themed spirit boards
Brighten up your school’s hallways with decades of color! Assign an era to each grade level. For instance, the 1950s for 9th graders, the 1960s for 10th graders, etc.
24. Host a photo booth
Design your own “frame” with your school mascot or colors and let students line up for photos. Post them on your school’s website (with permission, of course).
25. Celebrate your school’s unsung heroes
Adrienne Hathaway for We Are Teachers
Plan a day to honor the support staff in your school. In addition to teachers, give a special shout-out to the special-education aides, custodians, cafeteria workers, and other generous souls who help in so many ways.
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26. Host a school-wide Amazing Race
Looking for memorable student council ideas? Check this one out. It’s got lots of potential for getting lots of students involved. Students go on a scavenger hunt around the school, completing certain tasks. The last team to make it to each checkpoint is out.
27. Let seniors personalize their parking spots
Seniors finally get to park in the front row! Advocate for seniors to get designated prime parking spots and work with your school administration to allow custom decoration. Then, invite seniors to show their pride with a little personalization.
28. Have a students vs. faculty competition
Organize a game where students compete against faculty. It could be a basketball or kickball game—or even musical chairs. Hilarity is guaranteed!
29. Hold a T-shirt-decorating contest
Challenge students to design a spirit shirt for your school. Feature all entries on a bulletin board in a common area or web page so that everyone can view the entries. Determine the winner by popular vote or via a committee vote.
30. Adopt a sister school
Find a school in another state, or even overseas, and collectively write letters to that school. Send your news and school highlights. Post replies where everyone can read them.
31. Share positive messages with a Kindness Rocks Project
Inspire positivity and kindness around your school community with a Kindness Rocks Project. Paint rocks with an encouraging word or message and scatter them throughout your school and community.
32. Put together a gratitude chain
Adrienne Hathaway for We Are Teachers
Give each student an opportunity to write something they’re thankful for on a strip of paper, then link the strips together to form a gratitude chain to decorate the hallways of your school.
During a stressful time for students like state testing or finals week, set up a large blank canvas in the common area along with paints in your school colors. Encourage students to “throw” paint against the canvas using paintbrushes and sponges. When the activity is over, you’ll have an amazing painting to display!
34. Celebrate your school’s history
Educate new students and introduce incoming students to the rich history of the school. Make weekly history announcements, include a history column in the school paper, or post a history board in the halls to feature influential teachers, founders, the school’s namesake, and outstanding alumni.
35. Hold an old-fashioned field day
Support your school’s field day activities by organizing and running different events and competitions. You can host a field day at the end of the year or any time of year you need a good way to get students engaged in friendly competition.
Find out who in your community needs help with their yard work, and plan a day where students can sign up to rake lawns and bag the leaves. Your students may find that doing common yard work is a fun way to get everyone out of the house, spend time together, and help out your community.
37. Open a school spirit and supply store
Sell spirit wear so everyone can get decked out in your school colors. You could even create an online pop-up shop that makes it easy for families to buy school spirit wear from home. Use the proceeds to raise funds for your school or a charitable cause.
Use Google Slides or another display program to create a gallery where classmates can put their artwork on display. You can even add background music and host an opening reception event that you promote on your school’s social channels.
39. Paint a unity wall
Make all students feel welcome in your school with a unity wall that highlights what makes them unique and the characteristics they share. To create a unity wall, invite individuals to contribute personalized pieces, such as drawings, photos, or written reflections, that showcase their unique traits and shared values. Then, display them together in a prominent, collaborative space at school.
40. Hold a multicultural night
Celebrate the diversity in your school with a multicultural night. Students can plan and organize booths for parents and teachers who want to share their culture with the school community.
41. Compose a school song
A school song is a tradition that will create lasting memories for generations. If you have a talented student or teacher musician, you could even compose an original song. Already have one? Host a contest to update and refresh it. Then teach it to the student body and use it for morning arrival and events.
42. Designate special dress-up days
One of those classic student council ideas but with a modern twist. Dress-up days, such as tie-dye day, beach day, jersey day, and favorite book character day, can be a great way for students to get creative and have fun. To increase participation and promote inclusion, be sure to incorporate ideas that are easy to do, such as favorite outfit day or school colors day.
Recruit art students to showcase their talents by painting their peers’ faces with school colors. Schedule it on a pep assembly day to give students the opportunity to amp up their school spirit.
44. Hold a poster contest
Have different homerooms, school clubs, or teams make their best spirit posters to display in the halls. Present the winning one at a pep rally and reward the artists with small gifts like school key chains or rally towels.
45. Get “fired up” at a back-to-school cookout
Get the whole school community together to get “fired up” for the school year. Having time to casually socialize with teachers and staff helps ease the back-to-school transition for students and families.
46. Host a game tournament
Engage students and foster a positive school climate by hosting a tournament or game night. Student council members can be the moderators or game hosts.
47. Decorate with chalk
Turn your sidewalk into a celebration of school spirit by having student council members decorate it with sidewalk chalk. A great way to welcome the year or send students home on the last day of school.
48. Come up with a yearlong theme
Collaborate with your principal to create a motivational school theme for the year, like “teamwork” or “respect.” Integrate the theme into as many aspects of your school as possible throughout the year. For example, introduce the theme at your back-to-school night and incorporate it into your school newsletters throughout the year.
49. Make DIY pom-poms
Adrienne Hathaway for We Are Teachers
This is one of many fun moneymaking student council ideas. Make and sell paper pom-poms before your student athletic events to fill your gym with school spirit. Keep the cost low—25 cents or so—to make them accessible to everyone.
Pair older students with younger students for the duration of the year. “Buddies” can invite each other to lunch (on specially designated days), write notes (monitored), and team up on field day competitions. Near-peer mentoring, with students just a grade or two apart, can be a big benefit for both students.
51. Host a school movie night
Spread a king-size sheet or painter’s tarp on the side of the school to project a movie, and invite students and their families to bring lawn chairs or blankets. If the weather’s cold or rainy, turn your school gym into a movie theater and spread out the gymnastics mats for seating.
52. Spread compassion in the cafeteria
Write kind notes to your cafeteria staff and give them to students who are standing in line for lunch, along with directions to pass the note to a cafeteria staff member. With minimal effort, your whole student body can overwhelm your cafeteria staff with compassion and gratitude!
53. Host a senior breakfast
In the last week of school, host a senior breakfast to celebrate students’ graduation and give them a positive send-off. Be sure to offer decaf coffee—they’re already stoked enough!
54. Organize a tutoring program
Recruit classmates who are willing to tutor other students. Create a schedule and share it with families and students, so they can drop in and get help on a variety of subjects.
55. Make spirit bracelets
Another fun DIY project! This tutorial will teach students how to make simple braided paper bracelets using school-colored paper. Tackle making them as a class project, or encourage a school club to make them as a fundraiser.
Advocate to begin an honorary school diploma program, recognizing people in the community—living or historical—who have made outstanding contributions to the school or have noteworthy achievements that align with your school values. A student council can help to organize the program with support from administration and serve on the selection committee, nominating awardees and writing the citations.
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57. Do an end-of-year graduation walk
Graduating high school seniors walk the halls in their caps and gowns to inspire younger students to go the distance. If you have older students or a K-8 or K-12 school, have the older graduates walk the kindergarten grads through the school.
58. Hold a board game costume day
Challenge your student body to show up with this fun idea. Invite students to dress as their favorite board game or card game character (e.g., an Old Maid, the Queen of Hearts, a Twister board).
59. Set up a flash mob
Flash mobs are a great way to bring students together. With just a few guided practices, they can be part of a fun and special event. All you need is a music system and a few students who are on the dance team and can get a team ready with choreography.
60. Show pride in your school’s appearance
Organize a school cleanup day. Have kids collect trash and recyclables, weed the gardens, and clean off sidewalks and garden areas. Not only will this event help spruce up the place, it can teach students the value of gratitude and stewardship.
61. Get eco-friendly
Launch eco-friendly initiatives like a recycling drive or a campaign to reduce plastic use. Encourage environmental responsibility within the school community by putting students in charge.
62. Set up photo ops
Let students ham it up in front of an inspiring wall like a wall of hearts, butterfly wings, or being the I in Kindness. You’ll get adorable photos and can sell them to parents for a fundraiser.
63. Celebrate your school’s history
Start up a school history project to build school pride. Have students research and present the history of their school and local community, possibly in collaboration with other member schools. Set up history displays throughout the halls to remind students they are part of something bigger.
64. Hold a door-decorating contest
Courtesy of Naomi Meredith
Looking for student council contest ideas? Host door-decorating contests with themes such as holidays, homecoming, spirit days, or making the world a better place. Reveal the winning classroom over morning announcements and award the winners with prizes like pizza or an ice cream party.
As part of spirit week, have a Wacky Sock Day! Encourage students to get creative and wear the craziest combination of socks to school that day.
66. Set up testing week support stations
This is one of those student council ideas that can really have a positive impact on the student body. During testing weeks, set up snack and drink stations with donated items. Paint and display encouraging posters around the halls. Organize fun activities and games during lunch and recess (for younger kids).
67. Host cafeteria karaoke
A positive school environment celebrates everyone’s talents. Give your students the opportunity to bust out a tune at lunchtime by setting up a karaoke slideshow.
If you’re looking for student council fundraising ideas, try a fun run that combines fitness and school spirit. Student council members can get the word out on social media and with posters and flyers. Encourage students to participate individually or as part of a team. Hold a fun run T-shirt design contest and let students create their own shirts from the winning design.
69. Do birthday shout-outs
During morning announcements, have a member of student council wish a happy birthday to students born on that day. Be sure to include students whose birthdays fell on the weekend during Monday’s morning announcement.
70. Have some fun with icebreakers
Adrienne Hathaway for We Are Teachers
Students are more invested in their school community when they have a genuine connection with other students. Encourage students to broaden their social circles with icebreakers. Whether you use them in homeroom, in the cafeteria, or at after-school events, the more you build connections, the stronger your student body will be.
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71. Build a wall of kind words
Combine kind words with fundraising in this fun activity. At lunch and during passing periods, have student council members set up stations to sell paper “bricks” for $1. On their bricks, students can write a compliment or a shout-out for another student. Display the bricks in the cafeteria or hallway, and watch the brick wall grow throughout the week. The student council can use the funds to donate to a cause, put on an event, or buy supplies for future activities.
This is a great idea for elementary school student councils. Research the features of a sensory room, plan a room for your school, and fundraise for the materials. Then, host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for your new sensory room.
Postcard exchanges are a fun way for students to improve writing skills and develop knowledge about other parts of the world. They’re also a challenge to set up. A motivated student council can reach out and connect classrooms with postcard buddies, and create displays to showcase the postcards students receive.
Be sure to follow your school’s social media policy for this one. Student council can identify an event or aspect of your school to showcase on social media. Take photos, plan the language, and post the event. Make sure the post shares that it comes from the student council.
The same idea as sharing successes on social media, student council can write a press release and email it to local media. Local news outlets are always looking for great human interest stories, and your school could be featured.
76. Create a reading buddies program
Reading buddies are a great way to connect classes across grade levels and build older students’ fluency. Put student council in charge of matching classrooms and informing teachers of the schedule and rules.
77. Plan and paint a mural
Another school beautification idea is a mural. Student council can generate ideas, take a vote on the idea the student body likes the best, and paint the mural. It’s also a great way for one school year’s student council to leave their mark.
78. Advocate for school improvement
Inspire future community organizers with a school improvement campaign to make your school even better. Students identify a problem, like the quality of school lunches or aging playground equipment. Then, they create a plan to address the problem and see it through.
79. Share with the school board
Build students’ public speaking skills by preparing a presentation to the school board. Students can create the slides, rehearse, and then attend the board meeting.
80. Put students in charge of Teacher Appreciation Week
Naomi Meredith for We are Teachers
Put students in charge of Teacher Appreciation Week. They can plan each day, send home notes to parents, and take over some teacher responsibilities
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81. Invite a guest speaker
Give students a time slot for an assembly, and invite a local expert in to talk about a topic that’s relevant for your students. It could be a local author, the fire department, or a motivational speaker. Even better, this activity requires students to manage a budget and make decisions about which topics are most important for their peers.
82. Create a new-student welcome packet
Challenge the student council to create a welcome packet that can be given to new students and families. This encourages students to think about what makes their school awesome and what they can do to make newcomers feel welcome.
83. Host a car wash
A car wash is a classic way for students to work together and raise money. Students apply organization skills to set up the car wash and can choose how to donate proceeds to improve the school.
84. Have an open-mic night
This activity is great for middle and high schoolers. Turn the theater or cafeteria into a cafe or other space for an open-mic night. Kids can express themselves through song, poetry, comedy, or other performances.
85. Host a family engagement night
Students are bound to have ideas about which events they want to attend. Let student council create the event they most want to see, then help them bring it to life.
86. Host a lost-and-found fashion show
Challenge students to turn lost and found items into a school-spirited outfit. Create a runway in the theater, cafeteria, or outside for students to show off their fashions.
87. Join the 30 Days of Service Challenge
Adrienne Hathaway for We Are Teachers
What better way to build school spirit than by doing good works together? Download our free 30 Days of Service Challenge checklist and challenge kids to complete tasks such as “Check in with an elderly relative” or Collect gently used books to give to the library.” To up the ante a bit, make it a competition between homerooms.
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88. Appoint a Student of the Week
Put student council in charge of Star Student or Student of the Week. They can collect nominations each week, take photos, and decorate the bulletin board to highlight your amazing students.
89. Collect donations for a cause
Another way for student council to do good for the community around your school is by conducting a clothing or school supply drive. Partner with a local organization to collect clothes (prom dresses, baby clothes, coats, etc.) or school supplies. Student council can create the advertising, spread the word, and deliver the donations.
90. Build care packages
Another way to give back to the community is by creating care packages. Herobox is one organization that engages volunteers in creating care packages for soldiers.
91. Run morning announcements
Student council can plan and provide the morning announcements for the school. Let them get creative with how they present everything from the school lunch menu to upcoming dates and a morning message.
92. Post affirmations
Build school spirit with school-related affirmations. Brainstorm a list of positive statements about the students in your school (for example, “You are a leader! You are a lion!”) Then, put these statements around the school on table tents in the cafeteria or on posters in the restrooms and hallways.
93. Host an awards ceremony
Send students into summer with an end-of-year awards ceremony. Student council members can plan the awards, from deciding on the categories to collecting nominations and writing speeches.
94. Run a Never Been Absent campaign
Student council is all about school spirit, but they can also focus on important things like attendance. Have student council create a Never Been Absent campaign. What would motivate students to attend your school specifically? How can student council spread the message that it’s important to be in school?
95. Create a Random Acts of Kindness bulletin board
Student council members are at the right place to catch their peers doing good, so put them in charge of a Random Acts of Kindness bulletin board.
96. Unplug for a cause
Whether or not cell phones are a problem in your building, going screen-free for a day is never a bad thing. Student council can run a school-wide day to unplug with screen-free activities for students and awareness posters about how screens impact our lives. Send the student council around to take photos of all the things that kids are doing when they’re not on screens.
97. Host an art fundraiser
Plan an art gallery that doubles as a fundraiser. The student council collects the art, making sure there is art from every grade level. Then, they set up a gallery. They can also provide ways for parents to purchase art, through a silent auction or another opportunity to purchase art.
98. Share compliment cards
Adrienne Hathaway for We Are Teachers
Challenge your student leaders to pass out compliment cards with notes such as “You have great style,” “I love your smile,” and “You’re a great friend!” Include instructions on each card that direct the recipient to pay the compliment forward to someone else—creating a butterfly effect of kindness across your school!
99. Make up a school holiday
Student council can create a holiday just for your school (Spartans Sports Day, for example). Yes, you’ll have school that day, but you can make it feel like a holiday just for your campus.
100. Form a new-student welcome committee
Start each student’s experience with school spirit. Have the student council create a procedure for welcoming new students. This could involve a buddy to walk them through their schedule, a lunch friend, or a welcome basket with some school swag.
101. Arrange a field trip
Invite students to plan a field trip, during or after school hours, that students can attend. Ask them to wear their spirit wear and represent your school at a theater or sporting event.
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What student council ideas do you have for building school spirit? Come and share your ideas in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Looking for great ways to help students learn to work together, listen carefully, communicate clearly, and think creatively? Try some of these awesome team-building activities for kids. They’re a super way to give your students the chance to get to know one another, build trust as a community, and, best of all, learn valuable life skills that will last long beyond their school years.
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Team-Building Games for Kids
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Benefits of Team-Building Games for Kids
Team-building games for kids are a great way to build community as you start a new school year—or anytime of year for that matter. Not only are they super fun (and what kid doesn’t like fun?), team-building activities help kids:
Develop communication skills
When students work together, they learn how to express ideas clearly and actively listen. Both verbal and non-verbal communication skills are critical for classroom participation and success in the real world.
Encourage problem-solving and critical thinking
Many of these games and activities involve challenges or puzzles. Working together to solve them helps students think creatively, plan strategically, and persevere when they get stuck.
Foster collaboration and cooperation
Working on a team or with a partner isn’t always easy. Kids need to learn how to respect others’ ideas and perspectives and work to compromise. They also need to stand up for their own ideas and actively participate.
Boost confidence and promote leadership skills
Making a contribution and accomplishing a goal as a team member is very rewarding. And when a student develops the strength to take the lead, it boosts their self-image in long-lasting ways.
Promote social inclusion and foster friendships
Engaging with people you don’t know very well can sometimes feel risky. But team-building games provide a structure that allows for students to move out of their comfort zone. In addition, they give students a chance to interact with new people, build empathy for others, and support a sense of belonging.
Teach conflict resolution skills
Team-building activities for kids are a perfect tool for teaching conflict resolution skills. After all, conflict can occur in any group setting. Conflicts allow you the opportunity, as their teacher, to model and guide them through a constructive process for a happy ending.
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Problem-Solving Activities for Kids
1. What’s My Name
Objective: This game encourages students to mingle, ask questions, and use deductive reasoning skills as they try to figure out whose name is stuck to their forehead.
Materials: Sticky notes
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
Write the names of famous people your students will know, such as actors, athletes, or characters from a book or show, on sticky notes.
Once every student has a name on their forehead, set a timer and have students circulate around the room asking yes-or-no questions to figure out who they are.
Continue play until everyone guesses their identity or time runs out.
2. Categories
Objective: Students work cooperatively in small groups to sort items into categories.
Materials: A tray with 20 unrelated items, or an image of 20 unrelated items
Participants: Groups of 3 or 4
How to play:
For this activity, prepare a tray with 20 unrelated items, e.g., a book, an eraser, a juice box, etc. Alternatively, create a document with 20 images of things to project on a screen.
Divide students into groups and set a timer.
Have each group divide the items into four categories that make sense to them. For example, things you wear, things you use with your hands, etc.
Have groups work quietly so that their ideas are kept secret.
When each group is finished, give each one time to present their categories and the rationale behind their thinking.
3. Flip the Tarp Challenge
Objective: Students cooperatively flip over a tarp while standing on it.
Materials: Flat sheet, tarp, or blanket
Participants: 2 teams
How to play:
Divide students into two teams. One team will do the challenge while the other team watches, then they will switch places.
Gather one team on a flat bedsheet, tarp, or blanket. They should fill up all but about a quarter of the space.
Now, students must work together to figure out how to flip over the sheet/tarp without anyone stepping off or touching the ground.
4. Scavenger Hunt
Objective: Students work together to get to know the classroom/school (and each other) with a scavenger hunt.
Materials: Scavenger hunt lists
Participants: Partners
How to play:
Pair up students randomly.
Prepare a list of important things to find in the classroom and have students copy it into their journals. For instance, a pencil sharpener, nonfiction books, a turn-in basket, etc.
Have students work with their partner to check off all the items on the list.
This is also a great idea to get to know the layout of the school, e.g., the library, nurse’s office, lost and found, etc.
Get To Know You Team-Building Activities
5. Yes, No, Stand Up
Objective: This easy yes-or-no game is a fun way for younger kids or English language learners to get to know one another.
Materials: A list of yes-or-no questions
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
Before the game begins, prepare a list of yes-or-no questions to ask students. For example, “Do you like chocolate?” “Is your favorite color blue?” “Do you like soccer?”
If their answer is yes, the student stands up. If their answer is no, they sit down.
Pause between questions to give students time to look around and find students they have answers in common with.
If time allows, let students come up with questions of their own.
6. Spiderweb
Objective: Students sit in a circle and pass a ball of yarn around as they get to know one another.
Materials: Ball of multi-colored yarn
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
Sit in a circle. The leader chooses a topic (favorite food, favorite place, funny story, one thing that makes me unique, etc.).
Play begins when the first person, holding a large ball of yarn, shares their answer with the group.
Then, keeping a hold of one end of the yarn, they toss the ball (gently) to someone else in the circle.
Play continues around the circle until every person has had the chance to share.
In the end, the yarn will form a “spiderweb” of color, reminding the students that they are all connected in one community.
7. Birthday Line-Up
Objective: Students must communicate and cooperate to line up in birthday order.
Materials: None
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes, depending on your grade level.
The objective is to have students line up in order of their birthdays—January 1 through December 31—before time runs out.
To accomplish this, they will need to talk with one another in order to figure out who goes in front of whom.
Try this activity with other fun ways to line up—by height, alphabetically, by foot size, etc.
Outdoor Team-Building Activities for Kids
8. Caterpillar
Objective: Groups of students (caterpillars) move forward without stepping outside of their Hula-Hoops.
Materials: 1 Hula-Hoop per student
Participants: Groups of 4 (if possible)
How to play:
Line up teams of four at the end of a field. Have each student stand in the center of a Hula-Hoop on the ground, forming a “caterpillar.”
To move forward, the last player in line steps into the hoop with the player in front of them, picks up their empty hoop, and passes it overhead to the front of the line.
The front player then places the hoop on the ground in front of them and steps into it. Every player then shifts forward, moving the caterpillar.
The first team to cross the finish line wins.
9. Balloon Battle
Objective: Using a pool noodle and balloon, students race to score a goal.
Materials: Pool noodles, balloons
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
This fun game teams students up as they try to bat a balloon over each other’s goal line using a pool noodle.
Divide students into two teams and let play begin.
Periodically blow a whistle to have students substitute in so that everyone gets a chance to play.
The first team to score 10 points wins.
10. Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag
Objective: For this fun tag game, students play Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine who chases whom.
Materials: None
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
Before you begin, stake out the boundaries and position a home base at either end for each team.
Divide students into two teams.
At the start of each round, both teams will huddle up and decide whether they are rock, paper, or scissors.
The two teams line up facing each other, and on your signal, all players flash rock, paper, or scissors.
The kids on the losing team must run back to their base before they are tagged by the kids on the winning team.
Objective: Students will race to pick oranges up using only their knees and hop to transfer them to a target.
Materials: Oranges, Hula-Hoops
Participants: 2 teams
How to play:
Have students line up in two equal teams.
Place a bowl of oranges at the front of each line. The first two students each take an orange and squeeze it between their knees.
Next, they hop or take tiny steps to deposit their orange into a Hula-Hoop across the field.
Once their teammate’s orange is deposited, the next student goes. Play continues.
The team that transfers the most oranges in 2 minutes (or whatever time limit you wish) is the winner.
12. Tic-Tac-Toe Relay
Objective: Students play an IRL tic-tac-toe game.
Materials: Hula-Hoops, beanbags
Participants: Teams
How to play:
Set out Hula-Hoops in the shape of a tic-tac-toe frame.
Divide students into two teams and give each team a supply of different-colored beanbags.
One student from each team runs to the frame and drops a beanbag in their preferred spot.
They return to the start and tag the next runner, who does the same thing.
Play continues until one team achieves a tic-tac-toe (three beanbags in a row)!
Team-Building Games for Kids That Foster Cooperation
13. Hula-Hoop Pass
Objective: Students work together to pass a Hula-Hoop around a circle.
Materials: Hula-Hoop
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
Have your students stand in a circle and join hands.
Unclasp one pair’s hands and place the Hula-Hoop between the two. Then have them rejoin their hands.
The object of the game is to pass the Hula-Hoop all the way around the circle without unclasping hands.
Students work together using listening, coordinating, and strategizing skills to figure out how to maneuver their bodies all the way through the hoop to pass it on.
14. Elbow Pass
Objective: This simple passing game encourages students to work together, look each other in the eye, and have a good laugh.
Materials: Four-square ball or similar-size ball
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
Have students stand in a line.
The first student will hold a ball between their elbows in front of their chest and then pass it to the next player.
Continue until the ball reaches the end of the line.
If the ball drops, the game starts over at the beginning.
15. Move On, Back Up, Flip
Objective: Students stand connected in a circle and must cooperate to follow directions.
Materials: None
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
Start with students in a circle with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
At the signal “Move on,” students take one hop forward together.
At the signal “Back up,” students take one hop backward together.
And at the signal “Flip,” students will turn 180 degrees and place their hands on the shoulders of the person who was behind them.
16. Straw Balance
Objective: This fun balancing exercise requires coordination and cooperation.
Materials: Plastic straws
Participants: Whole group
How to play:
Have your students form a large circle and give each one a plastic straw.
The challenge is to balance each straw between one person’s right pointer finger and the left pointer finger of the person next to them.
Challenge your students to make movements such as rotating the circle, squatting down, raising one foot, raising your right hand, etc.
The goal is to make the movements while keeping the straw connections intact.
Circle Games That Build Community
17. Bumpity-ump-bump-bump
Objective: Students race to follow directions and learn one another’s names.
Materials: None
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
Students stand in a large circle with one student in the middle.
That student walks around the inside of the circle, stops in front of one person, and gives them a direction.
There are four choices: Left = say the name of the person to the left. Right = say the name of the person on the right. It = say the name of the person who is “it.” And Self = say one’s own name.
After they give the direction, they say “bumpity-ump-bump-bump!”
The student who was given the direction races to say the name of the correct person before the student finishes the phrase.
If they can’t, they’re the next person on the inside of the circle.
18. Zip, Zap, Boing!
Objective: This is a super-fun game that involves strategy and fast thinking.
Materials: None
Participants: Whole group
How to play:
This super-lively circle game involves careful listening, quick thinking, and three actions—Zip, Zap, and Boing.
Zip means point to the person on your right. Zap means point to the person on your left. And Boing means point to a classmate on the opposite side of the circle. (Boing cannot be passed to the person standing right next to you.)
All students place their palms together in front of their chest. This will act as their pointer.
The first person starts by calling out one of the actions and points their hands the right way. The person they’re pointing at chooses the next action, and play goes around the circle.
Try to play as fast as you can. If you perform the wrong action, you are out. Last player standing wins.
STEM Team-Building Activities
19. Marshmallow Tower Challenge
Objective: This STEM activity challenges students to create a sturdy tower.
Materials: Marshmallows, wooden toothpicks
Participants: Partners or small groups
How to play:
Divide students into partners or groups of equal numbers.
Pass out an equal number of marshmallows and wooden toothpicks to each group.
Challenge the groups to create the tallest, largest, or most creative structure in a set amount of time, each member taking turns doing the actual building.
Afterward, have each group present their creation.
20. No-Hands Cup-Stacking Challenge
Objective: Using patience and perseverance, students will stack cups using pipe cleaners (or strings) and a rubber band.
Pair up beginners or younger students and begin with a rubber band with two pipe cleaners attached.
Each student will take the end of one pipe cleaner.
Together, they will maneuver the rubber band to fit over the top of the stacking cup. (No hands allowed!)
One by one they will work together to create a tower of stacking cups.
Divide older kids into groups of four or five, attach that number of strings to a rubber band, and complete the same task.
21. No-Hands Drawing Challenge
Objective: Students will work together to maneuver a pen with strings.
Materials: Markers, string, paper
Participants: Small groups
How to play:
Just like the activity above, this hilarious “no hands” exercise requires cooperation and patience.
Divide students into small groups and give each group a marker with the matching number of strings attached.
Tell the students what they will be drawing, e.g., a tree, a house, or a shape.
Groups will gather around a desk or small table as each student holds the far end of their string, pulling the line taut to support the pen upright over the paper.
The challenge is to manipulate the pen to draw whatever image is called for.
More Team-Building Games and Activities for Kids
22. Hot and Cold
Objective: Students guide a “finder” to locate an object in the classroom with the prompts “hot” or “cold” to lead them in the right direction.
Materials: Classroom objects
Participants: Whole class
How to play:
One student, the “finder,” steps out of the classroom.
The rest of the class picks an object (for instance, the pencil sharpener) in the classroom for the finder to find.
When the finder comes back in, they begin walking around the classroom in search of the object.
If the finder is far away from the object, the only advice the group will give is to say “cold.” When the finder gets close, the group will say “hot.”
Play continues until the finder picks the correct object.
Variation: Instead of saying “hot” and “cold,” students can applaud softly for cold or vigorously for hot.
23. Body Parts
Objective: Following directions, students will try to be the first to snatch a plastic cup.
Materials: Small plastic cups
Participants: Pairs
How to play:
Students stand facing their partner. A plastic cup is positioned on the ground between them.
When the leader calls out a body part, the players must move both hands to that spot—knees, toes, shoulders, hips, etc.
When the leader says “Cup!” each person tries to grab the cup.
The student who snatches the cup remains in the game. The other players are out for the round.
Students pair up with new partners, and play continues until one person wins.
24. Human Alphabet
Objective: Students will form letters of the alphabet with their bodies.
Materials: None
Participants: Individuals and partners
How to play:
Have students spread out and show them how to form letters with their body. For instance, stand tall and spread arms straight out to form the letter T, or raise arms at an angle to form the letter V.
Once they get the hang of individual letters, call out short words. Start with two-letter words (e.g., on, so, it), then three (and, now), then four (past, four).
Students must team up to correctly form each word.
25. Back-to-Back Artists
Objective: This blind drawing activity requires teamwork and clear communication as one student directs the other to draw a picture.
Materials: Drawing paper, pen or marker, sample drawings
Participants: Partners
How to play:
Pair students up and have them sit back-to-back.
Give one student a blank piece of paper and a pen or a marker. Give the other student a picture of a simple object.
The student holding the illustration will not tell their partner the name of the picture. They will verbally describe how to draw the picture, step-by-step, to their partner.
The other student must draw the picture using only the verbal cues given by their partner.
When they are finished, the pair will compare the drawing and the original to see how close they came.
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If there’s one thing kids love, it’s games! If you’re looking for brain breaks, icebreakers, team-building activities, field day games, or just ways to fill the last few minutes of class, Minute To Win It games are the answer. Many of these 60-second Minute To Win It games involve common items found around the classroom, while others require no equipment at all. There are games for kids as little as preschool and others that will keep even adults entertained. Whoever finishes the Minute To Win It games first is the winner. Our list of 50+ Minute To Win It games for kids features some hilarious and challenging games that will definitely be a hit with your class.
1. Chopstick Pickup
Split up your class into teams and give them each two paper plates, a set of chopsticks, and 20 pieces of candy or another small item like math manipulatives. Whoever moves the objects from plate to plate using the chopsticks fastest is the winner.
2. Scoop the Snowballs
Put out bowls of cotton balls and ice cream scoops. One player from each team has to scoop cotton balls into a bowl while blindfolded. Whoever scoops the most cotton balls within 60 seconds wins the game. Watch as the chaos unfolds!
Cut up the front of cereal boxes to create puzzles. Then, students have a minute to put the puzzles together. Make sure each cereal puzzle is the same level of difficulty with the same number of pieces.
4. Cup Stack
Amazon
Stacking and unstacking cups is a sport (honestly!). Students are given a stack of plastic cups, then they have to stack and unstack the cups into a pyramid in a minute or less. If your students like the basic stacking game, they can get a cup-stacking game that includes 18 different variations.
This is one of those Minute To Win It games that’s perfect for gym class, field day, or as an extra-special outdoor activity. It’s just like regular ring toss but with a fun twist: Hula-Hoops or pool rings are the rings and students are the “sticks.” Students choose someone to throw and someone to stand, and see how many “rings” they can toss over their partner within one minute.
6. Donut on a String
Tie donuts (or snack of choice) to a string and try to eat it with no hands! For an added challenge, try this blindfolded.
7. Dice Stack
Kids place a Popsicle stick in their mouth. When the timer starts, they try to balance five or six dice on the end of their stick for three seconds. It’s more challenging than it looks!
8. Pom-Pom and Straw Challenge
Line up pom-poms along a line or piece of tape. Students blow through straws to “race” the pom-poms across a finish line. The first pom-pom across the line wins.
Students move 25 pennies into a stack using only one hand in this Minute To Win It challenge.
10. Baby Rattle
The goal here is to move all the marbles or gumballs from one 2-liter bottle to the other. Before the game, fill one empty 2-liter soda bottle with gumballs or marbles. Tape the empty bottle to another 2-liter bottle by the neck. Then students shake the bottle with the marbles until all the marbles are transferred to the other bottle.
11. Ping-Pong Tic-Tac-Toe
Use trays that will fit a Ping-Pong ball to play a fun spin on tic-tac-toe! Students toss Ping-Pong balls, and the first player or team to get three in a row wins.
Provide students with a paper plate filled with Cheerios (or Froot Loops, etc.) and a pipe cleaner. Students use one hand to put as many cereal pieces onto the pipe cleaner as possible in one minute.
Set up plastic cups with pieces of card stock in between. Players yank the cards out from between the cups, causing the cups to fall into a tower. Each time a player makes a mistake, they must reset until all the cups fall into each other. This game is a blast!
14. Worm Diving
Moisten a gummy worm and tie it to the “fishing line.” Dive that worm into a bowl of pretzels, and then eat the pretzel without using your hands. A delicious yet challenging game.
15. Blow It to the Other Side
Blow the Ping-Pong balls from one soda can to the other. So frustrating yet so much fun!
16. Suck It Up
Using a straw and some chocolate candies, move as many candies as possible to an empty plate. Bonus: Kids get to eat the candy at the end!
Just like wrapping presents, only with a twist. Each team of two has one person using only their right hand and the other using only their left hand to wrap the present. First team to wrap the present, put a bow on it, and address it to someone wins!
18. Keep the Balloon Up
The goal seems simple: Keep three balloons from touching the floor or leaving the designated area. Inflate three balloons and set a timer. Throw three balloons into the air. Students stay in a designated area and use any part of their body to keep the balloons in the air. To make it easier or harder, change the area that students are working in to be smaller or larger. All three balloons must stay in the air for the whole minute for students to win the game.
Using a sweet potato and a spoon, players must move the potato down the line of painter’s tape and back. The hard part is keeping the sweet potato in line. This one will definitely bring on some laughs!
20. LEGO Tower
Kids build a tower of LEGO as tall as they can, only with a catch: They can only use their hands to touch one brick at a time, so holding the tower still is not allowed. Prepare for lots of crashing LEGO towers!
Divide students into pairs. One partner has a packet of sticky notes, the other has to stand still. The partner with the sticky notes puts as many sticky notes on their partner as possible in one minute. Up the challenge and require that the sticky notes do not overlap.
Set up pins (you can use a bowling set or empty soda bottles or cans), and give each student five balls to knock them over in one minute. The fun of this version of bowling is in the strategy—do students try to aim just right or just roll the ball as many times as possible?
Line up eight cups so that the edges touch. Then, students stack coins on the edge of the cups. If the coins fall in, the game is over!
24. Bottle Flipping
Fill plastic bottles one-third full of water. Then, students flip the bottles into the air and try to make them land upright. Students may want to perfect their technique so they can compete as expert bottle flippers.
25. Paper Toss
Ball up pieces of paper and attempt to shoot them into a recycling bin. The twist is, you have to throw the paper blindfolded! This is a perfect way to clean up paper and scraps in the classroom in that final minute of class. At least all the paper will be in or closer to the garbage can.
Set up a row of empty soda cans. Give pairs of students dry spaghetti noodles. Students use their noodles (no hands) to move soda cans from one spot to another. Add an additional challenge by requiring students to create a pyramid with their cans.
27. Tea Party
Players wear a baseball hat with tea bags attached to either side of it as they swing the bags around until someone lands them both on the bill of the hat. We love that this Minute To Win It game requires little more than what you already have at home.
28. Bottoms Up
We love games that use toys in an unconventional and inventive way. In this fast-paced game, players hang a yo-yo from their pants and then attempt to swing it around and knock four soda cans over.
29. Antlers
Give each pair of students a pair of nylon stockings and several balloons (enough to fill the legs of the stockings). Students stuff the balloons into the nylons and then place the nylons onto one of the player’s heads, making antlers.
30. Mad Dog
Glue two boxes of mints to the end of a wooden ruler. Then, students shake the ruler in their teeth to empty the boxes of mints in less than one minute
31. Egg Race
What could be more fun than a good old-fashioned egg race? We highly recommend using plastic or hard-boiled eggs so there’s less mess afterward.
Although you could play this anytime, a plastic egg match is one of the perfect Minute To Win It games to play in the spring. Scatter halves of plastic eggs around a room and then have players race to match as many as they can and return them to a basket in the corner of the room.
Do you need a Minute To Win It game but don’t have any supplies on hand? All you need for a good old-fashioned staring contest is the ability not to laugh first!
34. Obstacle Course
Set up a DIY obstacle course using everyday objects, then have kids maneuver their way through the course in less than a minute. Create a graph of the time it took in seconds for each student to complete the obstacle course for an extra math component.
35. Book Balance
Set up a course for students to walk through and have them complete the course with a book balanced on their head.
36. Backward ABCs
This one is so simple, but don’t let that fool you. First, see who can say the alphabet backward in a minute. Of the people who can do it in a minute or less, see who can do it the fastest.
37. Spin Doctor
All you need for this game is a level surface and some coins. Students compete in pairs. One partner sets a coin spinning and the other has to stop it, then send it spinning back. Keep track of the number of times each pair sends the coin from one end of the table to the other.
38. Cookie Face
See who can get a cookie off their face and into their mouth in under a minute.
39. Toilet Paper Pull
Before playing this Minute To Win It game, unwind several rolls of toilet paper across a table with a heavy-ish object on one end. Make sure each object is the same weight. Then, place some painter’s tape down on the end where the players will sit. Finally, have players race to roll up their toilet paper without breaking it or knocking the object off the paper.
40. Whipped Cream Christmas Tree
Grab some friends and cans of whipped cream and then see who can build the tallest Christmas tree in a minute’s time.
41. Plate Head
The premise of this game is so simple, but it will be sure to have kids laughing. One player balances a paper plate on their head while a teammate races to see how many objects they can place on it without it falling.
42. Bite It!
Cut up paper bags to various heights and place them around the room. Players race to pick up as many as they can in a minute using just their mouth.
43. Dizzy Mummy
Students work in pairs. Each pair has a roll of toilet paper. One person spins while the other unrolls the toilet paper, wrapping the first person up in toilet paper. It’s a great way to get some energy out and have everyone in giggles.
44. Shoe Flick
Set up a series of tables 10 feet or more from where participants are standing. Everyone attempts to throw a shoe onto the first table. If successful, they can attempt to throw it onto the next table, and so on until the minute is over. The player to get the shoe the farthest wins.
45. Oven Mitt Race
Give each participant a pair of oven mitts and then see how many Hershey’s Kisses they can unwrap in a minute. For extra motivation, let them eat whatever they can unwrap!
This is one of the perfect Minute To Win It games for the littlest competitors since it reinforces color recognition and gross motor skills. See who can sort the most M&Ms or similar candies by color in a minute. Students can do this at their tables or using a relay format running to and from a pile of M&Ms and bowls.
47. Rhyming Race
Assign a word and then see who can come up with the most rhymes for it in a minute.
48. Whipped Cream Worm Search
Put down a tablecloth. Then, hide gummy worms in a pile of whipped cream. Students race to see who can find the most gummy worms. The trick: They can only use their mouth.
49. Junk in the Trunk
Fill a tissue box with Ping-Pong balls. Then, stick the tissue box onto someone’s backside (with a belt or tape). Students have to shake all the balls out of the tissue box in one minute in order to win. The only rule: Students may not touch the box with their hands.
50. Ponginator
Place a large egg create (18 or 24 eggs) in the center. Pass out Ping-Pong balls to students who stand at an equal distance away from the egg crate. Then, students toss the Ping-Pong balls into the egg create. The team that throws the most Ping-Pong balls into the egg crate wins.
51. Cookie Unicorn
Students with good balance (we guess) will do well with this Minute To Win It game. Students have one minute to stack cookies (think sandwich cookies, like Oreos) on their forehead. If the cookies drop, they have to start over. You can play to a set number, like five cookies, or focus on stacking the most cookies they can. And the full stack must remain on their head for three seconds.
52. Marshmallow Toss
Put cups on a flat surface and have students stand 2 to 4 feet away. Each student has a set of marshmallows (or another small candy) and tosses the marshmallows into the cup. The student that gets the most marshmallows into the cup in one minute wins.
53. Apron Race
Students put on an apron, either a baking apron or a half apron. They fill the pocket of the apron with pennies, beans, Ping-Pong balls, or other items. Then they run from one spot to another. If they drop anything, they lose.
54. Ball Drop
In this Minute To Win It game, students try to get a ball into a cup, but from a vertical drop (instead of a horizontal throw). Students stand over a cup and drop a ball into the cup. It’s harder than it sounds!
55. Balloon Stomp
Blow up balloons to the same size. Tie a balloon around everyone’s ankle. Then, students try to stomp on each others’ balloons. The last person with an inflated balloon around their ankle wins. You can also arrange this challenge in rounds.
56. Choosing Cups
You’ll need 25 cups. Put a sticker on the bottom of some of the cups. Fill each cup partway with water. Players choose one cup at a time and try to find the cup with the sticker.
57. Applestack
Give each team five apples. They have one minute to stack them. This is harder than it sounds, so working in teams is a good idea.
58. Nose Dive
Prepare three bowls, one with a little petroleum jelly, one with cotton balls, and one empty bowl. Students dip their nose into the jelly, then into the cotton balls. Then, they run with the cotton ball on their nose to the other bowl and drop the cotton ball into the empty bowl. They repeat for one minute, and the student who transfers the most cotton balls in this Minute To Win It game is the winner.
Many educators find a growth mindset helpful in reminding kids that even though they’re struggling to do something now, it doesn’t mean that will always be the case. Learn how to open student minds to the idea that they really can learn new things, and that the effort is just as important as the achievement.
Fixed mindset: People with a fixed mindset feel that their abilities are what they are and cannot be changed. For instance, a person may believe that they’re bad at math, so they don’t bother to try. Conversely, a person may feel that because they’re smart, they don’t need to work very hard. In either case, when a person fails at something, they simply give up.
Growth mindset: Those with this mindset believe that they can always learn new things if they make enough effort. They embrace their mistakes, learning from them and trying new ideas instead.
Dweck found that successful people are those who embrace a growth mindset. Though we all alternate between the two at times, focusing on a growth-oriented way of thought and behavior helps people adapt and change when needed. Instead of thinking “I can’t do this,” these people say, “I can’t do this YET.”
Growth mindset is key for learners. They must be open to new ideas and processes and believe they can learn anything with enough effort. Teach kids to make this mindset their default with classroom growth mindset activities like these.
Pass out square pieces of paper, then hold up an origami bird and ask kids to fold their own. Don’t provide any instructions at this point; just give them the paper and make the request. After a few minutes, talk about their frustrations. Then give them printed instructions to follow, and encourage them to ask for help if they need it. When everyone is finished, discuss learning as a process that means trying and failing, then trying again.
Let a real growth mindset expert (who also happens to be a fellow kid!) inspire your students. When Rebecca’s mom forced her to join student council, she turned her anger into a growth mindset instead.
4. Use project-based learning
Project-based learning uses real-world projects and student-directed activities to build knowledge and skills. Kids tackle issues that matter to them, making learning meaningful. Many students start these projects thinking there’s no way they’ll actually be able to create change or solve problems. But as they work, their mindset begins to shift, and they realize that big things are possible when you take them one smaller step at a time.
Show students examples of fixed mindset statements, and compare them with more growth-oriented examples. When students use a fixed mindset phrase, ask them to restate it from a growth standpoint instead. Get this free poster for your classroom to keep the language fresh in their minds.
6. Focus on praising the process instead of the person
When you praise a person, you’re praising traits, which they don’t really have any control over. When you praise their process, you show that you value their actions and efforts, which encourages them to keep trying even when things are difficult. Here are some examples of person praise vs. process praise:
You aced that test! You’re so smart. ==> You aced that test! You must have studied hard.
Of course you made the team. You’re very talented. ==> You made the team! I’m so proud of all your practice and hard work.
You got an A in math! Good job! ==> You raised your math grade by 8 points this semester. You really persevered!
7. Change your words, change your mindset
We Are Teachers
The things we say to ourselves are just as important as the efforts we make. Start by sharing fixed mindset statements like “I don’t know how” or “This is too hard.” Ask students to help you shift those statements to a growth mindset instead, saying “I don’t know how yet” or “This is hard, but I’ll keep trying.” Use our free bulletin board set for ELL or other classrooms too.
Working toward specific goals helps students stay focused on their progress. Help them set goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Then, encourage them to map out smaller steps they’ll take on the journey to meeting those goals. Remember that the milestones can be just as important as the finish line.
We’ve rounded up a huge selection of growth mindset quotes. Use them to decorate your classroom by asking students to choose one that’s meaningful to them, then create a poster or other visual art project to illustrate it. They’re also terrific inspiration for journal entries and personal narrative essays.
Looking for quick growth mindset decorations for your walls? Be sure to grab our free printable set of eight, with messages like “Mistakes Are Expected and Respected.”
Use bullet journaling or a more traditional style to reflect on personal goals and progress. Students can try habit trackers and goal-setting pages to keep track of what’s important and how their journey is going. Encourage them to take time to write about how they’re feeling, and look for ways to recognize successes big and small.
Science says that brains get “stronger” the more we use them! This fun book about the brain explains the science behind the growth mindset, explaining why it really does work. Students learn how the brain functions, and how it continues to grow and change throughout our entire lives.
When you add “yet” to a fixed mindset statement, it can really change the game! Ask students to brainstorm some things they can’t do yet, and list them on a big piece of chart paper to post on the classroom wall. From time to time, revisit the list and update it to show your students’ progress.
14. Sing about it
Whether you check out an old classic like Big Bird’s “Everyone Makes Mistakes,” or enjoy a tune geared toward younger generations, these are the kinds of songs that get stuck in kids’ heads and reinforce the important message that it’s OK to make mistakes, as long as you learn and grow from them.
15. Work together in an escape room
Any escape room activity can encourage students to try new ideas and work together to figure out the answers. You can buy escape option kits from a variety of sources, or use our guide to put together your own.
When students learn to code, “What if we try this?” becomes their go-to phrase. As you give your students the time they need to discover what works, the reward is in the process. Student coders become master revisionists, which allows them to deepen creativity to find success.
Anybody who watches HGTV is familiar with the idea of flipping a house. People buy a cheap house (a flop) that needs a lot of love, then spend time, effort, and hard work (and more money) to improve it (the flip). When it’s done, they’re able to sell it at a big profit. We can all learn to do that with our own flops, flipping them into opportunities instead. Try using this example and language with your students; you can even watch an episode of a show like “Flip or Flop” together!
18. Create an alternative progress report
We Are Teachers
There’s value in the traditional letter grades, but they definitely don’t tell the whole story about a student’s progress. Grades are more about the end accomplishment, not the hard work that got a student there. Try using an alternative report that emphasizes growth mindset behaviors, like perseverance and hard work.
Chances are good your students know the story of gymnast Simone Biles and her amazing comeback after a very public “failure.” So many famous people only accomplished their dreams after many years of trying. Share some famous failures with your students, then have them round up more famous failure stories on their own.
When you need some low-prep, ready-to-go growth mindset activities, turn to a workbook full of ideas. It’s worth it to spend a few bucks up front to have a whole collection of tools in your toolbox.
Mistakes are OK, because we can learn from them. When students get the answer wrong or aren’t able to do something they want or need to do, encourage them to look back at their errors. Reflect on what went wrong, and use that knowledge to try again. You can even do this as a classroom activity, calling out specific questions that many students missed on a recent test (without naming names). Work together to determine not only the correct answer, but the specific mistakes that led to the wrong one.
22. Fail early, fail often, fail forward
Will Smith has a truly meaningful message for kids and teens: “Failure actually helps you recognize the areas where you need to evolve.” Share his quick video with students when they need a reminder of this key concept.
23. Use growth mindset exit tickets
At the end of a lesson or day, use a growth mindset–oriented exit ticket. Pose a question like “What can you do now that you couldn’t do at the beginning of class?” or “What do you find most challenging about this topic, and how will you work to overcome the challenge?”
24. Play a growth mindset game
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When you come down to it, nearly every board game encourages a growth mindset. You have triumphs and setbacks, but the only way to win is to keep playing. Some companies have developed games specifically to teach growth mindset to kids and teens, and they can be a great addition to your classroom game shelf.
Here’s another way to set growth mindset goals, while also celebrating successes. Create a two-column chart, with one column labeled “Glow” and one called “Grow.” On the “Glow” side, kids list recent accomplishments they feel good about, as well as the efforts it took to achieve them. On the “Grow” side, they list opportunities to do even more, creating a list of things they can’t do YET but will be able to soon!
I finished my 12th year of teaching in June and don’t think I can do another school year. Even at the beginning of the summer I felt dread about going back, but now that has turned into full-on terror. However, I’ve already signed my contract and I know this decision would mean my principal would have to scramble to fill my highly specialized position (I teach AP French 3 and 4 and all levels of Dance). I’m worried quitting would jeopardize the reference I would get from her AND would ruin the plans of students who expected to take these classes in the fall if my school can’t find a replacement in time. What would you recommend?
—Just (Can’t) Do It
Dear J.C.D.I.,
I totally understand your hesitation, and it’s very “teacher energy” to be thinking of your students and principal first. But the words “full-on terror” and “dread” sound to me like you’re not just bummed out that summer is ending, but may not be in a healthy place mentally.
But at the end of the day, you have to put yourself first. Your principal, school, and students will definitely adapt and find solutions. You, on the other hand, might not adapt if you ignore your health and safety. Remember, too, you’re nowhere near the first teacher to leave a principal hanging at the last minute. Spouses’ job changes, medical emergencies, and changes of heart happen all the time.
If you’re still stuck after weighing your options, a mental health professional can help you navigate this process and make the decision that’s right for you.
Dear We Are Teachers,
OK, long story short: A member of my team is a bully. Let’s call her Angela. I called our department chair in to watch one of our team meetings, where, sure enough, Angela was rude and demeaning toward me. Later that day, I was called to the principal’s office along with Angela. There, my principal—in front of both of us—listed out all the ways I’ve been reported as being “hard to work with” and asked me to apologize to Angela. Angela wasn’t reprimanded at all. I was floored and couldn’t speak or process anything, so I requested a follow-up meeting for next week with just my principal. What do I even say?
—WTH, Angela?
Dear W.T.H.A.,
Yikes! Sounds like there’s quite a few unhealthy workplace dynamics at play here.
First, talk to your department chair. How did she interpret your team meeting where Angela was behaving badly? And what did she tell your principal? That will help you lay the groundwork to figure out whether your department chair miscommunicated or your principal misinterpreted. Or if, to your department chair, you were just as (if not more) in the wrong. Be ready to accept any of those possibilities with humility and curiosity.
Here’s what I would want to know about: your principal listing out other, separate incidents where coworkers have said you’re difficult to work with. Again, approach them with a sense of curiosity rather than defensiveness. “I wanted to ask if you could tell me a bit more about these other complaints you mentioned. It’s important to me to be a team player who is easy to work with. Were these complaints from one person or multiple? Can you tell me what I could work on?”
Finally, I do think it’s unprofessional of your principal to reprimand you in front of Angela (or any other teacher). However, I don’t think that’s worth calling out or asking your principal to apologize. Right now, the biggest reparations need to happen between you, your department chair, and Angela.
Dear We Are Teachers,
My partner teacher and I always co-chair the spring musical together. However, this year I’ll be going on maternity leave starting in February—just after casting. Yesterday, my partner teacher ran in and told me she accidentally told my class that I would be out next semester because she figured I’d already told them. When they asked her, “Is Mrs. Evans pregnant?” she didn’t know what to say and they all started freaking out. Now the whole school knows. I’m extremely upset. Not only did I want to tell my students in my own way, but now parents will know way sooner than I wanted them to. Help me get over this!
—That Was Mine To Share
Dear T.W.M.T.S.,
I understand your frustration. Maybe you had envisioned a special way you would tell your classes, coworkers, parents, or all three. It should have been your news to share when you were ready.
But it seems like it was an honest mistake by your coworker. And it’s not like she blurted out, “Mrs. Evans is pregnant!”—she brought up a totally relevant logistical point and your students made the connection. In this case, assume best intent. Your coworker is probably horrified that she let the cat out of the bag so soon. I think the kindest thing would be to be honest about your feelings, but acknowledge you know that her intent wasn’t malicious.
It might not seem like it now, but I can almost guarantee you’ll be able to laugh about this later.
I accepted a job at an elementary school known for extremely entitled students (and parents). Some stories I’ve heard: They stopped doing a science fair because parents were hiring judges to “volunteer” and give their child a top score, teachers are regularly pressured by admin to change students’ grades, and the PTA has the power to basically fire any teacher they want. I’m intimidated, but I still want the job. What safeguards would you recommend to protect myself from student entitlement?
October 2, 2024, is National Custodian Day, and we’ve got lots of unique ideas to help you celebrate!
What is National Custodian Day?
Every educator knows it: Schools would literally fall apart if it weren’t for the custodial staff. They keep your school running every single day (even when your latest craft project involves major glitter spills), giving students clean and tidy spaces to learn and grow. While we think they deserve to be celebrated every single day, National Custodian Day is the one day the calendar set aside just for them.
National Custodian Day 2024 is Wednesday, October 2. Consider kicking off your week with a school assembly in their honor, or greet them at the door with coffee and donuts. Or try one of these custodian appreciation activities, rounded up from real schools across the country.
National Custodian Day 2024 Ideas and Activities
Need some clever ways to honor your school’s custodial staff? We’ve got you covered!
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Invite custodians to story time
Invite your custodian to join your class on the carpet for story time! If they’d like to, they can even be the guest reader. Check out these 10 Books That Celebrate School Custodians to find the perfect read.
Create heartfelt thank-yous
Words of thanks really do mean a lot. Create individual cards, or work on a big version from each class instead. Be sure to express what makes your custodial staff extra special. Read this open letter to custodial staff for inspiration, then have students write their own.
Write them a book
Take things a step further by putting together a whole book of thank-you notes! Have each student write a note or draw a picture, then bind them together into one sweet gift.
Sign a banner
This big banner full of notes from kids and staff is easy to make and sure to make them smile!
Give them a social media shout-out
Feature their photos and maybe even a few fun facts about each custodian. Or show them in action, helping kids along their educational journey.
Craft a clever sign
How fun is this mini “Caution” sign, personalized for a custodian? These would be perfect for a class arts-and-crafts project.
Do a celebratory walk-through
Have students line the halls to cheer their custodians as they walk through! This is the kind of personalized touch that really shows staff members how valuable they are.
Deck the halls
Decorate the halls or the custodial office with signs, balloons, and other festive decorations. Let students get involved, since they’re the ones that really benefit from custodians’ hard work.
Decorate their door
Have kids decorate the door of the custodian’s room/closet with positive messages of how important the custodian is to them.
Create a certificate
Print a certificate they can hang on their wall to celebrate how much students and staff appreciate them. Include a picture for kids to color or room to draw their own.
Leave them notes
This is an easy way to celebrate National Custodian Day 2024, involving nothing more than some sticky notes! It only takes a minute or two to write a message that can really make someone’s day.
Give them a break
Ask if there are any daily tasks your students can do on National Custodian Day to give your cleaning staff a bit of a break!
Customize some cookies
Visit a local bakery and ask them to customize cookies for the special day with a custodian or cleaning theme.
Show them they’re your rock
This painted rock says so much! You could also paint a wall mural or decorate the sidewalks leading into the school.
Buy them lunch (or dinner)
Everybody loves a free meal! Be sure to ask what they’d like, and remember to accommodate dietary restrictions when necessary.
When you stop to think about everything a custodian does each day, you realize they really are the ones that corral the chaos in your school buildings.
Help them keep their favorite supplies handy wherever they are in the school. Personalize these strong work aprons using iron-on vinyl, or have them machine-embroidered for a special touch.
Every teacher understands that the intricate interactions within a classroom can often mask the silent battles some students face with bullying. Despite our efforts, we deeply hope that bullying victims feel safe enough to seek our support when they need it most. Our role is not just to educate but to provide a safe environment where every student can voice their troubles without fear of judgment or repercussion. Understanding these challenges, a recent study explores why not all victims choose to share their experiences with their teachers. Their findings highlight the differences in roles of direct and indirect bullying and the quality of student-teacher relationships.
Quality of student-teacher relationships and bullying type influence student disclosure
This study showed that the nature of the bullying and the quality of the student-teacher relationship significantly influence whether students disclose their experiences of being bullied. Direct bullying is overt and occurs in the physical presence of the victim. This can include physical aggression, verbal abuse, intimidation, or public humiliation. Indirect bullying is more subtle and often occurs without the direct knowledge of the victim. These incidents are harder for teachers to catch and can include social exclusion, spreading rumors, manipulating social relationships, and cyberbullying. Here are more specifics on the researchers’ key findings.
Key findings from Bjereld et al. (2024):
Indirect bullying is reported more than direct bullying. Students are more likely to report indirect bullying, which includes covert actions like spreading rumors or social exclusion.
Greater disclosure in supportive relationships. Students with strong, positive relationships with their teachers are more inclined to discuss their bullying experiences with them.
Indirect bullying is often unreported. Despite indirect bullying being reported more than direct bullying, teachers less frequently notice indirect bullying without student reports due to its subtle nature.
Impact of bullying on relationship quality. The ongoing experience of bullying and how teachers handle reports of bullying can either strengthen or weaken student-teacher relationships.
Challenges in handling indirect bullying. Teachers often find it more challenging to recognize and address indirect bullying compared to direct, physical bullying.
Can we trust this research?
Not all research is created equal! Here’s what our We Are Teachers “Malarkey Meter” says when it comes to this publication, based on four key factors.
Peer-reviewed? Several rounds of peer review have critically evaluated the methodology and findings of this study.
Sample size: There were a total of 1,091 students included in the quantitative survey phase, and 20 students participated in qualitative interviews. Twenty is a large number for interviews, and over 1,000 is plenty of statistical power!
Methodology: The sequential explanatory mixed-methods design combines quantitative data with detailed qualitative interviews to deepen understanding of the statistical findings. Personally, I put a lot of weight in mixed-methods findings because the numbers can only describe a situation to a certain extent. The words and quality of students’ individual lives highlight reasons why the numbers are describing situations. Mixed methods isn’t everyone’s favorite methodology, but it is excellent for working with schools!
What does this mean for teachers?
This research underscores the role teachers play in both preventing and intervening in bullying incidents. By fostering open, supportive relationships, teachers can encourage students to come forward about bullying, which is necessary for effective intervention. Plus, teachers need to understand the differences between direct and indirect bullying to help develop more targeted strategies to address bullying in all its forms. Dr. Bjereld shared with the We Are Teachers team that “Bullying victims are more likely to report bullying when they trust their teachers, especially indirect bullying, which is harder for teachers to detect on their own.”
Ultimately, this study highlights the essential link between student-teacher relationships and effective bullying intervention. Teachers who cultivate a supportive and empathetic classroom environment not only empower bullying victims to speak up but also enhance the overall school experience by addressing bullying proactively. Recognizing the signs of both direct and indirect bullying, and responding with genuine support, can impact a student’s willingness to disclose and a teacher’s ability to help effectively. This approach not only mitigates the effects of bullying but also strengthens the educational community as a whole. Building strong relationships with students is more than just about the learning outcomes!
In traditional school settings, discipline often follows a punitive model—break a rule and face consequences like detention or suspension. While this approach aims to deter misconduct, it frequently interrupts students’ education and may inadvertently lead to repeated behavioral issues without addressing the underlying causes. These conventional methods often fail to equip students with necessary conflict-resolution skills. As a result, a growing number of educational institutions are shifting toward a more holistic approach known as restorative justice. This innovative model focuses on healing, responsibility, and the rebuilding of relationships, offering a more sustainable solution to school discipline.
What is restorative justice in schools?
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Restorative justice in schools represents a transformative approach to discipline that focuses on repairing harm and rebuilding relationships rather than punishing students for misbehavior. This practice is based on principles of empathy, respect, and accountability, encouraging students to understand the impact of their actions, take responsibility, and actively participate in the healing process.
The goal of restorative justice is to “build community and repair relationships while supporting reflection, communication, and problem-solving skills for staff and students,” which can lead to more effective learning and teaching. It emphasizes dialogue and mutual agreement, involving all parties affected by a conflict—including victims, offenders, and the wider school community—to address issues collaboratively.
By shifting from a punitive model to one that seeks to understand and resolve the root causes of behavior, schools implementing restorative justice report significant reductions in suspensions, improved student behavior, and better overall school climate. This approach not only helps in managing individual incidents of misconduct but also fosters a culture of care, respect, and community, essential for educational success and social development.
What are the basic practices of restorative justice?
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Restorative justice is centered on a set of practices that aim to mend the harm caused by an incident and rebuild relationships among those involved. Here are some foundational practices typically employed in restorative justice frameworks:
Facilitated dialogues: These are structured conversations, often referred to as “circles,” where all affected parties gather to discuss the incident. The process is guided by a facilitator who ensures that the dialogue is constructive and respectful.
Conflict resolution: This involves direct engagement between the offender and the victim, allowing both parties to express their feelings and thoughts, understand each other’s perspectives, and mutually agree on how to repair the harm.
Mediation sessions: Mediation is used to address conflicts before they escalate. It involves a neutral third party who helps the disputing parties find a solution that is agreeable to all involved.
Community service: Oftentimes, part of the resolution involves the offender engaging in community service, which serves both as a means of making amends and as a learning experience to foster better community relations.
Restorative conferences: These are formal meetings that include not just the victim and the offender, but also family members, school staff, or community representatives, depending on the context. The conference aims to work out how the offender can make amends and how the community can support the recovery process.
Support and reintegration: Following an incident, there’s a focus on supporting both the victim and the offender. For the offender, the aim is to reintegrate them into the community or school, ensuring they have the support needed to avoid future conflicts.
The effectiveness of these practices depends on the commitment of all participants to the principles of honesty, respect, and mutual concern.
Restorative Justice Tier I: Prevention
The first tier is all about community-building as a preventive measure. Teachers or peer facilitators can lead students in circles of sharing, where kids open up about their fears and goals. Students play an integral part in creating the climate of Tier I. The teacher and students start the year by creating a classroom-respect agreement. Everyone agrees to be held accountable. The contract is an extremely effective way of maintaining harmony in the classroom.
Restorative Justice Tier II: Intervention
Tier II comes into play when students break rules and someone has caused harm to someone else. In traditional justice, this is when punishments are meted out. Restorative justice instead turns to mediation. The offending student is given the chance to come forward and make things right. They meet with the affected parties and a mediator, usually a teacher.
The mediator asks nonjudgmental, restorative questions like What happened? How did it happen? and/or What can we do to make it right? Through their discussions, everyone learns about what happened, why it happened, and how the damage can be fixed.
Restorative Justice Tier III: Reintegration
Tier III aims to help kids who’ve been out of school due to suspension, expulsion, incarceration, or truancy. Returning to school life can be a real challenge in those cases. Many students in traditional environments quickly re-offend or drop out again. Restorative justice practices seek to reduce this recidivism by providing a supportive environment during re-entry from the start. They acknowledge the student’s challenges while promoting accountability and achievement.
Does restorative justice really work in a classroom?
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Research shows that restorative justice “can be successful in schools because it creates interactional patterns that produce positive social-emotional outcomes like group solidarity and individual emotional energy. The social-emotional outcomes have implications for both individual students and entire school communities.”
In California, Oakland Unified School District began using the program at a failing middle school in 2006. Within three years, the pilot school saw an 87% decrease in suspensions, with a corresponding decrease in violence. The practice was so successful that by 2011 OUSD made restorative justice the new model for handling disciplinary problems.
Does restorative justice address racial justice?
OUSD’s Restorative and Racial Justice home page is clear: “There is no restorative justice without racial justice.” To begin with, this means honoring the indigenous roots of the practice. It also means encouraging program participants to consider how racial privilege and prejudice affect them all.
The Center for Court Innovation runs restorative justice programs in five underserved Brooklyn schools. They’re trying to address the subject through a racial justice lens. “Restorative justice is about accountability and repairing harm,” they note. “What about accountability for the system that has produced these underserved and essentially segregated schools and then punishes the kids for reacting to that neglect?”
In other words, schools must address racist policies and practices along with restorative justice efforts. They can use the system to help historically privileged students make amends to the victims of long-standing prejudices. This is an extremely tricky topic and a fairly new one. Try these resources to learn more:
What are the potential benefits of restorative justice?
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A major concern that some teachers may have when considering the implementation of restorative justice in the classroom is that it sounds like a lot of work. The truth is that it is a lot of work—especially when you’re just starting out. Like many things in life, though, the effort will likely be worth it.
Many teachers and administrators who use these programs say the benefits far outweigh the effort. Here are some potential positives of implementing restorative justice in the classroom:
Improved behavior and reduced recidivism: Restorative justice practices focus on accountability and making amends, which helps students understand the impact of their actions. This approach has been shown to reduce repeat offenses and improve overall student behavior.
Enhanced relationships: By promoting dialogue and mutual understanding, restorative justice fosters stronger relationships between students and teachers. This improved relational dynamic can lead to a more supportive and cohesive school community.
Positive school climate: Implementing restorative practices helps create a more inclusive and respectful school culture. This environment is conducive to learning and personal growth, as students feel safer and more valued.
Conflict-resolution skills: Restorative practices teach students valuable conflict resolution and communication skills. These skills not only help in school but also prepare students for constructive interactions in their personal and future professional lives.
These benefits highlight why many educators advocate for the implementation of restorative justice practices in schools as an effective alternative to traditional punitive discipline methods.
What are the drawbacks of restorative justice in schools?
For restorative justice to work, engagement from all involved parties is required. If the offender isn’t willing to take responsibility and make meaningful restitution, the program can’t help. Schools using this system find they still need traditional disciplinary actions available for circumstances like this.
More than this, restorative justice in schools requires a pledge of time and money from the district and its administration. There are multiple examples of schools that set aside funds to implement the program but leave the money unspent. Other districts encourage teachers to use restorative discipline but provide little or no training or support. And busy teachers are understandably leery of trying yet another program that’s supposed to solve all their problems.
Schools that dedicate themselves fully to the system, like Oakland USD and Chicago Public Schools, see real change and benefits. But the time, money, and enthusiasm required to make it work can be prohibitive for others.
What do real educators think about restorative justice in schools?
When this topic pops up for debate in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE and Principal Life Facebook groups, educators tend to have a lot of opinions about it. Here are some of their thoughts:
“We started RJ this year, and since it was so new, there was a STEEP learning curve for everyone involved, despite numerous trainings. Just remember that some students will respond to it right off the bat, some take time, and others are just not going to participate in circles and things, and that’s OK. My opinion is this: In theory, RJ is an excellent idea. I really think it can help build student-teacher relationships. In practice, the school must go ‘all in’ in order for it to work.”
“I love this approach. It has been highly successful for me and my colleagues who took it seriously. I have seen improvements at tough schools that I’ve worked in. … By the way, this isn’t just for minority children. It isn’t just for Caucasian teachers. It’s for all people. These practices can also resolve issues with teacher and admin, parents and schools, etc.”
“I find that many kids don’t open up in the circle and are afraid to share because the other kids don’t always respect what is said there. Not sure how to change that, but because they aren’t genuine in the circle, they are not reaping the benefits of genuine communication.”
“Restorative justice cannot be rushed. It does not work when those participating have a time limit of 20 minutes and back to class.”
“It takes time to build the culture. Have someone come in and give an overview of the philosophy and to share a circle. This gets everyone thinking. Don’t demand that everyone must do it … but request that everyone begins building relationships with their students and colleagues. Start with a team of teacher leaders who practice it and share their experience and celebrations. It will catch on! It takes about 3 years to build the culture!”
How can schools implement restorative justice?
We Are Teachers
In the classroom, teachers can use aspects of the restorative justice system, like respect agreements and sharing circles, to promote a healthy learning environment.
Implementing school-wide restorative justice can be a long-term process. The Oakland USD provides a useful Restorative Justice whole-school Implementation Guide. Here are some streamlined strategies:
Training and professional development: Provide comprehensive training for teachers, administrators, and staff on restorative justice principles and practices. Focus on facilitating restorative circles and managing constructive conversations.
Restorative circles: Use restorative circles to build community and address conflicts, and implement conferences for more serious incidents. Both practices foster open dialogue and mutual understanding, ensuring collaborative resolution processes.
Restorative conferences: Implement restorative conferences for more serious incidents. These involve structured meetings where the affected parties discuss the harm caused and work together to find ways to repair the damage and restore relationships. This approach ensures that all voices are heard and that the resolution process is collaborative.
Peer mediation programs: Establish peer mediation programs where trained students help mediate conflicts between their peers. This not only empowers students to take an active role in conflict resolution but also promotes a culture of accountability and support within the student body.
Policy integration: Integrate restorative practices into the school’s discipline policies. This means shifting from a punitive approach to one that focuses on repairing harm and restoring relationships. Clearly communicate this change to all stakeholders, including students, parents, and staff.
Ongoing support and evaluation: Provide ongoing support for staff through regular training sessions, coaching, and access to resources. Additionally, regularly evaluate the effectiveness of restorative practices through surveys, interviews, and data analysis to make necessary adjustments and improvements.
Community involvement: Engage the broader school community, including parents and local organizations, in restorative justice initiatives. This helps to create a supportive network that reinforces the values and practices of restorative justice beyond the school environment.
By following these steps, schools can create a more positive and inclusive environment that fosters healthy relationships and reduces conflicts, ultimately enhancing the overall school climate and student outcomes.
Additional Restorative Justice Resources
Institutes and organizations
Books
Does your school use restorative justice, or are you looking to start? Come join the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook and chat with other teachers about your experiences.
The first few days of school are so important—it’s a chance to get to know your new students and set the tone for the year ahead. But finding icebreakers for high school students can be a real challenge. Older kids can see the usual “getting to know you” activities coming from a mile away. And they don’t want to risk looking silly or awkward in front of their peers.
So in order to gain real buy-in, you’ll need to choose activities that are meaningful and fun. The key is to make them forget themselves temporarily because they’re so wrapped up in the game or challenge. We have a little bit of everything on this list, from speed-dating-inspired activities to snowball fights. Most of them make terrific icebreakers for middle schoolers too!
Getting To Know You Icebreakers for High School Students
Now you’re ready to ask kids to reveal a bit about themselves. This is an opportunity to find ways to connect with them in the months ahead and for them to find new friends too. Here are some high school icebreakers that really do help teachers and students get to know one another.
1. Unpopular Opinion
You’ve probably seen the threads and viral videos where someone shares an unpopular opinion like “Kittens and puppies are annoying, not cute” or “Ketchup is gross.” As students introduce themselves, ask them to share one of their own unpopular opinions. They might be surprised to discover that some of their classmates agree!
2. Would You Rather?
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Would you rather … do math homework or go for a 2-mile run? Read a book or watch a movie? Wrestle a gorilla or swim with alligators? No matter what questions you ask, this is such a fun way for kids to mix and mingle. Pose your question, then have kids move to different sides of the room to show their answers. Give them a few minutes to chat about the topic before moving on to the next one. Check out the Would You Rather questions on this list to get started.
3. Classmate Bingo
Use this free bingo card generator to create your own Classmate Bingo cards. Give one to each student, then set them loose to find another student who can initial each space. If you have enough kids, make a rule that each student can only initial one space on any card. Offer small prizes to the first student to fill in a row and the first to fill their whole card.
4. Blobs and Lines
Students respond to prompts either by lining up (in order of height, birthday, alphabetical by middle names, etc.) or gathering in “blobs” (grouped by type of shoes, hair color, favorite ice cream flavor, and so on). It’s ridiculously easy, low-risk, and gives teens a chance to find out what they have in common.
5. Speed Meetings
The old “interview each other and introduce them to the class” bit is pretty played out. Try this twist instead, which is a lot like speed dating. Divide the class in half, and have them sit in two concentric circles facing each other. Ask an icebreaker question, set a timer for 60 seconds, and let each pair discuss. When the timer dings, the outside ring moves one seat to the left. Give the new pairs a new question, and set the timer again. You can continue this as long as you like. Tip: To increase engagement, have kids help you generate the list of icebreaker questions before you start.
6. What Do You Meme?
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Find some popular meme images on the web, print them out, and post them in various places around your classroom. Start class by asking kids to find and stand by the meme that best represents how they feel about the subject you teach. Let them chat in groups for a minute or two, then pose a few more icebreaker questions for them to group together and discuss.
7. Collaborative Playlist
Music is meaningful to all of us, and the songs we love can be a window into our personalities. Ask each student to contribute one song choice to a class playlist, along with an explanation of why they love that song. (Depending on students’ ages, you can decide on parameters for lyrics and language.) Create the list on Spotify so all students can listen to one another’s songs. If you allow music in your classroom, add this playlist to your collection.
8. Toilet Paper Pass
Some kids may already know this one, but it’s still a classic. Pass a roll of toilet paper around and tell students to take what they think they’ll need for the day. Once everyone has a handful, explain that for each sheet they took, they must share an interesting fact about themselves.
9. Two Truths and a Lie
This one’s another classic icebreaker, and for good reason. Ask each student to share two facts about themselves and one lie, without identifying which one is untrue. Other students try to guess which one is the lie. Kids always have fun coming up with stuff to fool each other!
10. A Funny Debate
Debate team isn’t for everyone, but there is a way to make it fun for the whole class. The key is to pick a not-so-serious subject like what is the best pizza topping or whether or not clowns are scary. Then, watch as your students get into defending their positions. If you need ideas, check out these funny debate topics.
11. Word Clouds
We Are Teachers
The words we choose to define ourselves can be really telling, and word clouds are a fun way to see that in action. Kids can create word clouds by hand on paper, or try one of these free online word cloud generators instead.
12. Stand Up, Sit Down
This one is super easy, and it’s a perfect use for these icebreaker questions. Simply ask a question, and if students answer yes, they stand up. If no, they sit down (or stay seated). You can fly through questions quickly, or slow down to see what everyone’s answers are.
13. Paper Planes
We Are Teachers
Each student writes a get-to-know-you question on a piece of paper. (Encourage them to think creatively so you don’t wind up with the same question over and over again.) Then, they fold the paper into planes (Here are some free printable paper airplane folding directions.) and spend a minute throwing them across the room. Afterwards, everyone picks up a plane and they take turns answering the question on theirs.
14. Common Thread
Divide students into groups of four and have them sit together in these small groups. Give each group five minutes to chat among themselves and find something they all have in common. It could be that they all play soccer, or pizza is their favorite dinner, or they each have a cat. Whatever the common thread, the conversation will help them get to know one another better. Repeat this activity in new groups as many times as you like.
15. Show-and-Tell
You’ll need a little advance planning for this one, but it’s always a lot of fun. Ask students to bring something for Show-and-Tell on the first day of class to help their classmates get to know them a little better. They’ll feel oh-so-grown-up as they reminisce about how fun Show-and-Tell was when they were “young”!
16. Beach Ball Toss
Presley Bryant via We Are Teachers
Write some icebreaker questions on a beach ball. Start the game by tossing the ball to a student at random. Ask them to look at the question their right thumb landed on, then share their answer with everyone. Then, they toss the ball on to someone else. Continue until everyone has had a turn.
17. Say Hello!
Here’s a super-simple icebreaker for high school students. Sit in a circle (or at least in a way that makes it easy for everyone to see each other). One student stands up and says, “Hi, my name is [name].” The whole class responds, “Hello, [name]!” They sit down, and the next person does the same. This is a terrific way to learn names, and it gives kids a chance to help others learn to pronounce theirs if it’s a little tricky.
18. Favorite Quote
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Give everyone a piece of paper and a marker, and ask them to write their favorite inspirational quote. You can give them a little time to do some web research; use our enormous collection of quotes to get started. Afterwards, use the quotes to decorate your classroom walls.
19. Candy Pass
Pass around a bowl of wrapped candy that comes in different colors, and ask every student to choose just one but not eat it yet. After everyone has theirs, tell them they each must answer an icebreaker question based on the color they picked. (For instance, if you picked red, share the best meal you’ve ever eaten. If you picked green, tell us your favorite joke.) Be sure to hide the questions until everyone has their candy in hand!
20. Find Me
Ask each student to write a unique fact about themselves on a note card. Gather and mix them up, then pass them back out randomly. Have students mingle and chat until everyone has found the person who matches the card they’re holding. You can repeat this over and over again so everyone has a chance to meet up and chat.
21. Fakebook Page
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Your students may or may not use social media in real life, but they can all use this classroom-safe free online Fakebook generator. Kids can personalize these in ways that are appropriate for school. (This also gives you a good opportunity for a lesson on responsible digital citizenship.)
Setting Classroom Expectations Icebreakers for High School Students
Many teachers start the first day of school by sharing their classroom rules, assigning seats, and introducing the year’s agenda. Now, let’s be honest: Most kids tune out when you start sharing your rules. They’ve heard them all before, right? So, try giving your students some ownership over the expectations in your classroom. You’ll be surprised at how this can be a real game-changer.
22. Seating Plan Spin
In the beginning, any seating chart you create is pretty arbitrary. The main purpose is to have students in the same seat each day so you can get to know their names, right? So start out by letting students decide how the initial seating chart works (but they CAN’T pick “sit wherever we want”). They might suggest options like “alphabetical by middle names,” “grouped by birthday month,” and so on. Then, they vote to choose the winner. Finally, kids figure out how to get themselves into the right seats using the rules they chose.
23. Right or Wrong Skits
First, share your classroom rules and expectations. Then, divide kids into small groups, one for each rule. The group has 10 minutes to prepare short skits showing the right way to follow the rule and the wrong kind of behavior. Kids really have fun hamming up the wrong behaviors, and they’re all much more likely to remember your rules.
24. Classroom Constitution
By middle school and high school, students tend to know instinctively the rules they need to follow. Give them ownership by letting them draw up the class constitution. Brainstorm expectations for a good classroom, then create the guidelines they’ll need to follow to make that happen. Craft the language and have everyone sign. This is a project that can take more than one day, but it’s especially fun in social studies, history, and government classes. Get a free online lesson to walk you through the process here.
25. Shared Goals
From day one, you’ve got an agenda with lesson plans ready to go, of course. You’ve probably got standards to follow and routine projects you do every year. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take time on the first day to find out what your students really want to know. Post a few anchor charts around the room with the questions listed below. Have kids circulate and write their answers on the charts. Then, look each one over as a class and talk about the responses. Try these:
What do you think you’ll learn in this class this year?
What do you really want to learn in this class this year?
How can your teacher help you learn and succeed?
What are you most looking forward to in this class?
What do you dread most about this class?
26. Blind Kahoot
Here’s another fun way to introduce your class to what they’ll be learning. Create (or find) a Kahoot that covers the basic fundamentals of your syllabus. Kids will likely moan and groan over each question, but it will give you a chance to learn what they already know, and help them discover what’s coming in the semesters ahead.
27. Student Expectations
Start by writing “Expectations” on a whiteboard. Then go around the room and have students do three things: They should introduce themselves, share their expectations of the class, and, finally, share their idea about the best possible outcome if their expectations are met. An example might be, “Hi, my name is Harper. I’m expecting to learn to see different perspectives. My wildest expectation is that if I knew how to do that, I would become more open-minded and make friends with more people.”
28. Rules Snowball Fight
Once you’ve gone over classroom rules and expectations, hand out blank pieces of paper to your students. Then, have them try to remember those rules and write one on their paper. Now for the fun part: Have them crumple up the papers and throw them inside the circle. Finally, have them grab any paper, read it, and elaborate on the importance of the rule.
Team-Building Icebreakers for High School Students
Team-building activities can be a lot of fun, though you’ve got to pick them carefully, especially with this age group. Be sure to debrief when you’re done—ask students to think about why you had them do this activity and what they learned from it. And if you’re choosing something physical, remember that not everyone in the class may be able (or willing) to participate, so think about how you’ll handle that in advance. Find a list of our favorite team-building games and activities here, which are great to use for high school and middle school icebreakers, or try some of the following ideas.
29. Tarp Flip Challenge
Spread a few tarps on the floor. Get groups of students to stand on them. The challenge? They have to flip the tarp completely over without stepping off of it. Other students can watch to help keep them honest!
30. Scavenger Hunt
There are so many ways to use scavenger hunts as high school and middle school icebreakers. Is this a new school for your students? Send them out to explore it. Want to show them around your classroom? Set up a hunt for different areas and resources. Just want a fun chance to get to know them? Do a hunt to see which group can produce various items (purple pen, hair scrunchie, breath mint, etc.) from their bags or pockets the fastest. The point is to get kids working together in groups and having a little fun. (Grab our free collection of printable scavenger hunts here.)
31. Classroom Escape Room
If you really want to impress and engage your students, start off with an escape room. You can theme it to help them learn more about you, about the school, or the subject you’re teaching. Kids will have to work together to beat the clock, and each student’s individual skills will make the group stronger as a whole. Here’s how to set up your own classroom escape room.
32. STEM Challenge
STEM challenges are great high school and middle school icebreakers because they get kids thinking outside the box and working together. There are so many you can try, and they almost all only require the most basic of supplies. Looking for ideas? Find our big list of STEM activities for all ages here.
33. Perfect Square
This activity requires strong verbal communication and cooperation. Kids need to be blindfolded, so you may want to allow some students to opt out and be observers instead. Blindfolded students try to take a piece of rope and form a perfect square. It’s harder than it sounds, but if kids master it too quickly, ask them to try a harder shape, like a circle or a hexagon.
34. Classification Challenge
Prepare a tray (or a picture collage) with 20 unrelated items—for instance, a spool of thread, an eraser, a juice box, etc. Divide your class into groups and challenge them to put the 20 items into four categories that make sense to them. For example, they may put an earring, a glove, a headset, a sock, and a smile into the category “things you wear.” Have groups work quietly so that their ideas are kept secret. When each group is finished, give each one time to present their categories and their rationale behind each category.
35. Follow the Leader
Ask for a volunteer guesser and have them leave the room. While they’re gone, choose a leader and have the group stand in a circle. The leader begins a movement, which the rest of the group must mimic. (For instance, the leader might jump up and down or wave their arms over their head.) Invite the guesser back in to stand in the middle of the circle as the movements continue. Every so often, the leader changes the movement, and the rest of the group follows. The guesser must try to determine who the leader is by watching the group’s actions closely.
36. Game Day
Imagine your students walking into class on the first day to find a stack of board-game boxes! Games actually make terrific icebreakers, and lots of them help you with team building too. Try cooperative party games like Codenames, Herd Mentality, Pictionary, or Decrypto. Find more terrific classroom games here.
37. Balloon Tower
First break your class into small groups of four to six students. Then supply each group balloons in a variety of sizes and shapes, and a roll of masking tape. Give each group several minutes to brainstorm techniques before they actually start building. Finally, challenge each group to build the tallest tower they can. We love that this activity will get even the shyest of students talking!
38. No-Hands Cup Stacking
So simple and so fun! Students use a rubber band attached to pieces of string to pick up and stack cups into a pyramid. Want to make the challenge even greater? Don’t let them talk while they’re working, limit them to one hand only, or make the strings different lengths.
39. Password
One student sits with their back to the whiteboard while the other students sit facing them. Write the secret “password” on the board, and set a timer for 60 seconds. The other students must figure out how to get the player to say the word written on the board, without using it directly. Make this even more challenging by telling them they can’t talk at all.
40. Emoji Charades
Here’s a modern take on a classic game. Print a variety of emojis on cards, then mix them all up and place them upside down in a pile. One student comes to the front of the room and draws a card, then tries to act out the emoji for other students to guess.
41. Human Knot
Speaking of classic games, this icebreaker has been around for a very long time, but it’s still a popular pick. Students stand close together and put their hands in the middle, each grabbing two other hands at random and creating a giant “knot.” Without letting go, students must slowly untangle the knot until they’re standing in a circle (it’s OK if some people are facing forward and some are backward). It seems like an impossible challenge, but it can be done!
42. Silent Line-Up
This icebreaker helps kids get to know each other while also encouraging teamwork. As you call out each instruction, students must figure out how to line up properly without talking at all. Start out easy by asking them to line up by height. Move on to a more challenging task: lining up in order of birthdays (January at one end, December at the other). Tricky but fun!
What high school and middle school icebreakers do you use? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!
I’m going into my fourth year of teaching this fall. As the second half of summer approaches, a new thing has started happening when I think about school starting: anxiety attacks. I get so overwhelmed and stressed during the school year that just the thought of that starting up again is enough to send me spiraling. I still have half the summer left! What can I do to get these to stop?
There’s all kinds of self-care tips and tricks that teachers can do to reduce the impact of this job. But since these anxiety attacks significantly interfere with your life, I think that’s an issue to take to your doctor.
Many teachers have more flexibility schedule-wise in the summer (even if they’re still working). But if you are in a time crunch or still bound to a schedule, there are all kinds of ways you can get treatment virtually. Check your insurance coverage first and go from there.
A second recommendation I have if this is still affecting you during the school year: your school nurse. Don’t be afraid to utilize them as a resource and starting point for seeking treatment. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run my symptoms by them, had my blood pressure checked, or made them look at a weird rash.
(OK, I can count the number of times I’ve made a school nurse look at a weird rash I had: It was one time, and we all laughed about it.)
Bottom line: This is something for a trained professional to treat.
Dear We Are Teachers,
I teach middle school in Oklahoma. I’m very concerned about the directive from our state superintendent Ryan Walters that all teachers must teach the Bible this coming school year. It goes against everything I believe. How do I take a stand without being fired?
—i’m not sunday school certified
Dear I.N.S.S.C.,
One one hand, I am very concerned for the attacks coming for public education this summer.
On the other hand, I think Ryan Walters is—and I’m going to be very careful about my words here—a silly boy. I also think he’s just salty that he didn’t think of the Ten Commandments thing before Louisiana did and is grasping at straws.
I have very little faith in the Supreme Court these days. But I can’t imagine the Simone Biles–level mental gymnastics the justices would have to perform to not see the danger in government-sanctioned religion.
However, in the event that the Supreme Court disappoints us all yet again, I think your question (“How do I take a stand without being fired?”) is a great one for your school’s union rep.
BUT, if you want to get into good trouble, I’m your girl. Maybe, like attendance, you just keep forgetting! Perhaps you put a copy of The Da Vinci Code inside a Bible cover and teach that instead! Maybe you give legislators a taste of their own medicine and teach that chapter in Leviticus where God makes a whole town eat their own children! I don’t know! This is just off the top of my head!
Dear We Are Teachers,
I’m looking to upgrade my teacher wardrobe this summer. Can you recommend a few brands and/or pieces that are cute, size-inclusive, and affordable? Bonus points if the brand is sustainable!
—fix my fit
Dear F.M.F.,
Ooh, what a fun question!
It’s tough to check all of those marks! Especially affordable and sustainable at the same time, sadly. But for more-sustainable-than-affordable pieces (because I’m legally obligated as a perfectionist to go for the bonus points), I would browse stuff from Pact, Toad&Co, MATE the Label, and Girlfriend Collective. Everlane’s a good consideration, too, even if it’s not totally sustainable. If affordability is the main concern (and no judgment there!), you can pick up some great staples at Target, Old Navy, and H&M. Also, you can find pretty good sales at Boden, J.Crew, and Nordstrom if you’re looking for more upscale pieces to weave in year after year.
Also, here’s some input from teachers in our Helpline Facebook Group who recommended these favorite items:
I got hired in March by the same school where I did my student teaching. I was really looking forward to resting up this summer. But three times since I signed my contract, I have gotten emails from the district or my principal about mandatory professional development we’re expected to attend before school starts. I don’t care that I didn’t have plans this summer—not working was my plan! Should I say I’m busy, or should I plan on attending in order to give a good first impression?
I got hired in March by the same school where I did my student teaching. I was really looking forward to resting up this summer. But three times since I signed my contract, I have gotten emails from the district or my principal about mandatory professional development we’re expected to attend before school starts. I don’t care that I didn’t have plans this summer—not working was my plan! Should I say I’m busy, or should I plan on attending in order to give a good first impression?
—CAN YOU TELL YOUR BOSS TO LEAVE YOU ALONE?
DEAR C.Y.T.Y.B.T.L.Y.A.,
First, some things you need to figure out:
1. When does your contract start?
Look at your actual contract. If it starts in August or September, they shouldn’t be asking you to work before then. You’re not on the clock yet.
2. How “mandatory” is this PD?
I know you said they’re mandatory. But sometimes principals will blast out upcoming PD to staff as “an amazing opportunity” without it being an actual expectation.
Here are some questions to help you determine whether they’re necessary or recommended: Are these necessary for you to be able to teach your course (e.g., district-mandated study sessions for a certification test you need to be able to teach) or something that’s expected of current staff? Is it just you (and other new teachers) on this email, or is it all staff? If you’re having trouble figuring this out, you can always post anonymously in our Helpline Facebook group to get some live feedback.
3. Would any of the PD really help you out?
OK, hear me out. I am VERY pro-boundaries when it comes to teacher summers. But some PD might have really valuable information/training that will be critical for you this school year. For example, I wouldn’t miss training that is super-specific to your content area, like AP or IB training. Another thing you won’t want to skip is training on any new technology, software, or LMS systems your district might be adopting. You don’t want to walk in the first week back and be the only one who doesn’t know how to use the new grade book, smart board, etc.
I think there’s no harm in reaching out to your department chair, mentor teacher, or even principal to say, “I’m really excited about the all the PD opportunities coming up. Some of the timing conflicts with summer plans I’d made prior to knowing these dates. Can you help me prioritize which of these would be most crucial to me as a first-year teacher in the fall?”
They don’t need to know that your summer plans were sleeping until noon.
Pro tip for next summer: Don’t check your email!
Dear We Are Teachers,
This past school year was the worst in my career for multiple reasons. At my yearly checkup the first week in June, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I’m in the early stages but am very worried about how the continued stress of school will impact my body. I don’t want to quit at this point. But how does one just “lower their stress” when so many of the contributing factors are out of our control?
—STRESSED FOR SUCCESS
Dear S.F.S.,
Well isn’t that the question of the century for teachers (and maybe everyone)? First, just know I’m sending so much love and light your way. It’s a weighty diagnosis. Plus, I’m sure all the thinking, planning, and evaluating you’re having to do surrounding it is its own beast.
Second, ask your doctor(s) for accommodations that could make teaching with this diagnosis easier for you. The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) helps guarantee that your doctor’s recommendations are followed by the district. Some accommodations I know of are permission to be sitting instead of standing, time and support for medical appointments, and reducing before- and after-school meetings.
Also, don’t be afraid to think “big” in terms of this new information. I hear you that you don’t want to quit. Maybe you might want to try a new role that keeps you in a school but takes you out of the classroom. Or maybe a teaching role that puts you with smaller groups of students. Maybe you want to try the change of scenery at a new school, or work somewhere closer to home. Your health comes first—don’t be hesitant about making that a priority.
Dear We Are Teachers,
I had a great Zoom interview with a school a month ago and accepted their offer. The school is three hours away so I have plans in the works to move. Then, I joined the Facebook group for teachers in the district. When I introduced myself and said where I got hired, several former teachers from that school sent me DMs about their horror stories with the school’s abusive principal. She yells, pits teachers against each other, singles teachers out to shame them in meetings, etc. I’m completely freaking out and feel like I made a huge mistake. In-service starts in a little over a month, and I can lose my certification if I quit at this point. What would you do?
—I FEEL SICK
Dear I.F.S.,
Try not to panic. You have some options here.
If you haven’t signed a contract:
You have no obligation to stay. Sure, it’ll be an awkward conversation to have to retract your agreement, but the weight of temporary awkwardness is nothing in comparison to the anxiety you might have about having hitched your wagon to a really rough school year.
If you have already signed your contract:
Contact a representative for a union or professional organization in your district. See what their recommendations are.
If you’re stuck, then you’ll have to decide whether to keep your license and stick it out for a year or deal with the consequences of breaching your contract. You could also try finding a private school—they often don’t require state certification, so it wouldn’t matter if yours gets taken. I can’t make that decision for you.
I will say that my own two years at a really bad school changed my life in some really positive ways. It made me a stronger, more aware, and more resilient person—plus, it opened my eyes to so many things about leadership, educational inequality, and integrity. Be open to the possibility that even in a school with a less-than-stellar reputation, you can do meaningful work and achieve powerful things.
My principal made the announcement that our middle school would be banning phones altogether next year. Teachers, admin, and staff were thrilled. Parents and students were immediately outraged at the cell phone ban. Apparently, there’s been so much backlash that our principal announced at our faculty meeting that he will allow phones between classes and during lunch. That is our policy now, which students totally disregard. How can we convince him that this is worth doubling down on? It would make teaching a hundred times easier next year.
Learning names can be equally daunting for both students and teachers. It’s not just the act of associating names with faces that’s a challenge, but also accurately pronouncing and spelling names. It’s important to get student names right because kids are more likely to feel like they’re part of an inclusive environment when they hear their names pronounced correctly. While some names are more commonplace than others, all students deserve the same respect when it comes to learning names. In fact, it might be especially important to pronounce refugee or immigrant students’ names correctly. Name games are a fun way to help everyone learn together.
Whether you choose to use a song, a silly skit, or a prop, we have games on this list that will bring a smile to the faces of all students, from preschoolers all the way up to those sometimes-surly teens. Check out all of our favorite name games to try with your class this year.
Jump to:
Name Games for Preschool and Elementary Kids
1. Teacher Test
Name games are not just for students! This is the perfect first-day-of-school activity to really get to know your students. Your kids will love getting to put their teacher to the test instead of the other way around. During the days leading up to the start of school, you will want to create name-tag “tents” from card stock for students to leave on their desks. Then, at the end of the first day, you will have them put their tents face down and time you on how quickly you can go around the room naming your class!
2. Johnny Plays the Drum Beat
This is a great way for music teachers to get to know their students, although any teacher who has access to even a basic drum can use this fun song in their class. Even the shyest kids will want to get their hands on that drum! Pay careful attention to pronouncing everyone’s names right since it is an important part of a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
3. Pig on Their Head
The Laurie Berkner Band is famous for their silly and catchy children’s songs, and this one is no exception! Little ones will have so much fun singing this song, they won’t even notice that they are also learning their classmates’ names! Bonus idea: Bring some stuffed animals since the lyrics, which you can search, include pigs, octopuses, and more being placed on their head.
4. Yoo-hoo!
Make up a song that includes lyrics like “Somebody’s hiding. I wonder who it could be.” Before singing the rest of the song, the child that is hiding sings, “Yoo-hoo … Yoo-hoo …,” from behind a desk or chair. The rest of the class then chants, “It’s (insert child’s name)!” Younger students will be so excited when it is their turn to hide.
5. Bumblebee Name Game
Some of the best name games utilize songs. Lyrics to this folk song are as follows:
“Hickety, Pickety, Bumblebee Won’t you say your name for me? (Designated child says their name.) Let’s all whisper it. (Everyone else whispers it.) Let’s all stomp it. (Everyone else stomps it.) Let’s all clap it. (Everyone else claps the syllables.) Let’s all shout it! (Everyone shouts it.)”
6. Who do we appreciate?
Get your class all revved up while learning each other’s names. Get in cheerleader mode and teach your students to chant “2-4-6-8, who do we appreciate?” The class responds with someone’s name in their loudest and happiest voices. This goes on until everyone’s name has been chanted.
7. Name Line/Favorite Thing
This one is so simple yet so fun and challenging. Have students form a line or circle and then have the first student say their name and a favorite thing. The next student in line must say their name, their favorite thing, and the favorite thing of the person who went before them. This continues down the line until the last person is naming all of their classmates’ favorite things!
8. Action Syllables
This game helps students remember one another’s names while also reinforcing an important lesson on syllables. Have students stand in a circle and then go around one by one telling each player to say their name out loud. For each syllable in their name, they must select an action to perform. For example, a child named Harper might stomp her feet when saying “Har” and clap her hands while saying “per.” Once Harper is done saying her name, the rest of the circle should repeat the name with the coinciding actions.
9. Banana Fanna Fo Fanna
This classic children’s song by Shirley Ellis has been a staple of childhood for generations because it’s both catchy and a good way to learn friends’ names. The only downside is that it will likely be stuck in your head for days! The name “Shirley” would sound something like this:
“Shirley, Shirley, bo birley, banana fana fo firley, fee fie mo mirley, Shirley.”
10. Name Toss
Before introducing a ball into the mix, simply go around the circle and have everyone introduce themselves with just their first name. Once everyone has introduced themselves, have them toss a ball to someone and use their name when throwing. The receiver then needs to say “thanks” and the thrower’s name.
11. Name Puzzles
Sarah Cason via We Are Teachers
Name puzzles can work equally well as a tool to get to know each other and as a way to learn to recognize and spell their own name. Before doing this activity with your students, you will need to take and print photos of each child. Then, you can write their names on the bottom of the photos or have them do it. Just cut them up to create puzzles and then have students assemble them. Finally, trade puzzles so friends get to know one another.
12. Name Acrostic Poems
Sarah Cason via We Are Teachers
This is a simple but creative way to help everyone get to know each other’s names. Have kids create name acrostic poems and then laminate them and either hang them on the front of their desks or on a wall in the classroom. An example would be FIAZ, with the F being friendly, the I being interesting, the A being awesome, and the Z being zealous.
13. Name Ring Toss
Sarah Cason via We Are Teachers
Before playing this game, you will need to purchase or ask for donations of red Solo cups and paper plates. To begin, have each child write each letter of their name on the bottom of the cups. Then, cut a hole in a paper plate that will serve as a flying disc to aim at the letters. Finally, have students practice spelling one another’s names and throwing the ring around each of the letters.
Name Games for Middle School
14. Snowball Fight
Have kids write their names on a piece of paper and one fact about themselves, then have them crumple the paper into a ball. Then kids will gently (key being gently) throw them at one another. Everyone picks up a piece of paper and reads it aloud.
15. Trading Cards
Sarah Cason via We Are Teachers
Since most kids love collecting trading cards (think Pokémon and baseball), they’ll love this fun name game. Have kids create their very own trading card that includes things like their name, a drawing or photo of themselves, and some fun facts about themselves. Then, trade cards with friends to get to know all about one another. Don’t forget to include a trading card for the teachers and other staff also!
16. Peek-a-Who
All you need to make this game happen is a blanket or tarp. Before getting started, divide kids into two equal groups. Then, have two students or adults hold a blanket or tarp between the two groups. One person from each team stands on either side of the “wall,” and the first to yell out the other one’s name when the blanket or tarp drops wins!
17. Introductions
The introductions game is simple but silly enough to be a lot of fun. One by one, students walk onto a pretend stage and introduce themselves with their name and one fact about themselves. The facts can be as silly or playful as they want. The audience must then break into uproarious laughter.
18. The Story of My Name
This one is so simple. Have each student share their name and whatever they know about why they were given that name. Students can share things like who they were named after or if there is a funny or interesting story surrounding their name.
19. Repeating Back
This one is a simple concept, but it’s a quick way for everyone to learn one another’s names. Have students sit or stand in a circle and then take turns having everyone say their name. Once someone has said their name, everyone in the circle repeats it back in unison. Although it can be nerve-racking to stand in front of everyone and speak, there is something validating about having everyone repeat your name!
20. Web of Names
Unlike some name games, this one involves a prop, so it gives students something to focus on other than their nerves. Sit in a circle and have one person start with a ball of string that they will then throw to anyone. That person must then introduce themselves. They hold on to a piece of the string while throwing the rest of the ball to another person for the game to continue.
21. Zombie Name Game
We especially love name games that get kids up and moving like this one. Before playing, have the kids stand in a circle and take turns saying their names. Then, designate one student as the zombie and have them stand in the middle of the circle. Once the zombie is ready, call out a student’s name. The zombie heads toward that student, who must call out another student’s name before the zombie can tag them.
22. Clapping Name Game
This name game incorporates music and motion while working on name recognition. Children sit in a circle. The first person taps their thighs twice and then claps their hands twice while saying, “My name is …” Children should repeat the clapping and phrase twice. Everyone in the circle should continuously be tapping and clapping. After everyone in the circle has gone through saying their name twice, you can go around again, but this time faster and with everyone only saying their name once.
23. Name Bingo
Sarah Cason via We Are Teachers
Create bingo cards with your students’ names on them. Instead of calling out names, however, have students walk around the room and cross off names as they find that student.
24. Name Word Search
Sarah Cason via We Are Teachers
Create a word search using all of your students’ names and then print enough copies for everyone. It is great for early finishers and reinforces new classmates’ names.
Name Games for High School
25. Sign Language
Have students learn how to sign their name and then a friend’s name. Eventually everyone can learn to sign one another’s names. It is a good way to learn names as well being introduced to sign language.
26. Group Juggle
This is a variation on name toss, but it’s better suited to older kids. Begin with everyone in a circle and then have them toss the ball to one another. Have them repeat it a second time but in the exact order as the first time. Make it harder each round by adding balls or even reversing the order.
27. Guess Who
Kids take turns wearing a blindfold and recognizing their fellow classmates’ names by voice only. Each kid says something simple like “hello” and the guesser has to say who is speaking.
28. Nameless Name Game
Some name games like this one work best with older students since it requires a lot of quick thinking. Students come up with an adjective that both begins with the first letter of their name and describes themselves. Then, they say their adjective and name and come up with a movement to go along with it. Finally, everyone goes around the circle adding to the list of names, adjectives, and movements.
29. Missing Name Card Game
Sarah Cason via We Are Teachers
Write everyone’s name down on cards and lay them down on a table. Then remove one card and see if the class can identify whose name is missing.
30. Shoe Mingle
Before playing, have each student (and you!) take off one shoe and place them in a pile in the middle of the room. Once that is done, have everyone grab a shoe from the pile (not their own). Then, have them find the owner of the shoe and learn their name and three fun facts about them. Play as many times as you want until everyone knows each other’s names!
31. Thumbs Up!
Many parents and teachers probably remember playing this game in school decades ago. Three students are selected as the taggers while the rest of the students sit with their heads down and their thumbs up. The taggers go around and each select a student to put their thumb down. Once that is done, the tagged students get one chance to guess who tagged them. If they are right, they get to trade places.
32. Name Impulse
Kids will get really into this name game since it aims to set a new world record! It is a surefire way for everyone to remember one another’s names. Begin sitting in a circle and then starting with the person to your left, ask them to say their name on your signal. Once the name has been said, the person to their left immediately calls out their name and so on around the circle. This continues until everyone has said their name. Repeat it, but this time, record how long it takes the group to complete it. Continue trying each time to beat their best time.
33. Letter Line-Up
This one is a bit more challenging, so it is perfect for older kids. Have them line up by how many letters are in their name. The name with the least amount of letters goes to the front and the longest goes to the back. Add an extra challenge by including middle or last names too!
34. Name Pictionary
Sarah Cason via We Are Teachers
Have each student create a drawing in which they draw a different object for each letter of their name. Then, have them trade with someone and see if they can figure out what name is spelled.
35. Memory
If you have a class of students who are mostly new to one another, begin by giving them a set amount of time to learn as many names as they can. For this portion, they can literally walk around and introduce themselves. Then have them return to their desks to write down as many names as they can remember. Bonus points if they learn last names.
Getting to know our students is one of the most important aspects of creating a great classroom culture. One of the easiest ways to do this is to build opportunities for conversation and sharing into the normal routines and procedures you’ll use every day. Our friends at Starr Commonwealth believe that building positive relationships with students is vital for helping students become resilient, positive young adults. These attendance questions for high school and middle school are a perfect way to do that.
What are attendance questions?
Attendance questions are fun but thought-provoking questions that every student can answer and discuss. They are most often used at the beginning of class as a bell-ringer activity or as a way to take attendance. Attendance questions are a great transition tool since it signals to students that class has begun and they need to start preparing for learning.
What types of questions are in the slideshow?
The questions in the slideshow are specifically chosen because of the quick but engaging conversations they’ll spark between you and your students. Here’s a breakdown of some of the question types:
Questions about school and learning: This is great information to have as you develop rapport with individual students.
Questions about values and communication: These questions ask what they care about, what makes them feel valued and seen, and how they like to communicate. As a teacher, these insights are invaluable.
Questions about favorites and fun: Finally, many of the questions are just fun and/or silly. They ask about favorite foods or music, what animal best fits students’ moods that morning, and more. They’re perfect for getting even the most reluctant teen sharing and interacting in your class discussion.
Here are a few questions to help you get a feel of what this is all about:
If you could get rid of one school rule, what would it be and why?
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in school that wasn’t taught by a teacher?
Do you believe social media helps people maintain their friendships? Why or why not?
What do you believe sets your generation apart and makes it unique?
Meghan Mathis, M.Ed., Elementary and Special Education
The students at our high school drive so recklessly I constantly wonder when I or someone else are going to meet our demise on our way into the building. I’ve talked to my AP, but he just said that’s how kids drive. Is there anything that can be done to make things safer?
—LIVING ON A PRAYER
Dear L.O.A.P.,
Unfortunately, I don’t have much hope for anyone caring about teachers’ safety. Now, student safety (if we’re talking about local leadership and liability) is another story.
Here’s what you do.
Step 1: Ask students in each class to raise their hand if they’ve ever felt unsafe walking into the building due to reckless student driving. Record names of any yeses.
Step 2: Send an email to your principal. Say, “Many of my students say they feel unsafe walking between the parking lot and building due to reckless driving. I also feel unsafe as a teacher, having had many close calls myself while walking. I’ve attached a list of names that do not feel safe. Please let me know how we plan to address the dangerous driving happening on campus. I know we would both hate for anything to happen to students.” With your and your students’ names attached to a document warning them about unsafe conditions, they’d be very silly to not get to steppin’ ASAP.
Step 3: If for some reason that doesn’t work, email the parents of any students who said yes to feeling unsafe and encourage them to write in to administration.
Is this a little petty? Maybe a tad dramatic? Yes and yes. But you know what it is also? Necessary. As someone who had to play real-life Frogger crossing a four-lane street on foot every day of the 2020-2021 school year to get to the building (during most of which I was pregnant, I might add), I can tell you that not a week went by without an incident where I wondered, “Is this the day I get hit?” One time, a vehicle braked so close that I was able to pat the hood of their rich-lady SUV. And when I emailed the building’s AP very nicely about my concern? Nothing. Thus: Go petty or go home.
I don’t play around with safety.
Dear We Are Teachers,
I’m so tired of hearing that I would understand “if I had kids.” I’ve heard this from administrators (“It’s hard to understand the parent perspective if you’re not a parent”), parents (“Sorry, but I’m not going to take parenting advice from someone who’s not a parent”), and coworkers (“You’d get it if you had kids”). I can’t have children, but even if I could, I think it’s so rude. I’ve been teaching second grade for 20 years—I know a thing or two about children! How do I tell these people to stop being so insensitive and hurtful?
—chided for being childless
Dear C.F.B.C.,
I’m so sorry. Those comments are not only hurtful to you, but shortsighted and just plain incorrect.
Quick caveat. Can sharing an experience help with perspective? Yes—especially if you’re sharing critical feedback. If you’re going around saying, “Kids ought to be seen, not heard!” or “Parents need to stop complaining that parenting is hard!” or “This is what happens when we stop spanking kids!”, then, yeah, I could understand the frustrated response to stay in your lane.
But assuming you’re not going around saying those kinds of things, you don’t have to be a parent to understand children. In fact, plenty of people who are parents have a long way to go in understanding children. The next time someone invalidates your perspective because you’re not a parent, say this:
“You’re right that I don’t share the same experience since I’m not a parent. But my perspective as a professional is still valid.”
It’s firm, but necessarily so. It might feel awkward, so practice it ahead of time. If you feel comfortable, you can add in an “Actually, I can’t have children” to squash any chance of them mentioning it again (and to remind them that sometimes the decision to have children is beyond our control?! Sheesh.).
Dear We Are Teachers,
I’ve interviewed for five jobs now. Each time, the principal has seemed very eager to hire me—and each time, I end up getting a “Sorry, we went with another candidate.” I finally asked the last employer, who told me off-record that my current principal said he could not recommend me (despite having near-perfect evaluations). Needless to say, my principal is a big part of why I’m trying to leave this school. Do I talk to my principal, or give employers a heads-up before they talk to him?
—she’s a 10 but her principal is a tyrant
Dear S.A.10 B.H.P.I.A.T.,
I’ve never understood why some principals make every attempt to keep unhappy teachers that they believe are not good at their jobs.
But this solution is easy! On your next application, put a different leader you trust from your campus in the reference portion instead of your principal. Ideally, choose an AP, dean, appraiser, or department chair, but a team lead, mentor teacher, or counselor will also work. (Do not lie or tell your interviewer this contact is your principal—just list it as the principal if there’s no spot to clarify their actual job title.) I would recommend listing as many of these contacts as you can as references.
If an employer asks, “Can I ask why you didn’t list your principal as the contact?” you say that the contact you provided worked much closer with you and can speak to your teaching, planning, and communication abilities in greater detail.
Principals know better than anyone that there are doofus principals out there. They might even agree with you!
I’ve taught AP Lit for 12 years and I’m used to the senioritis that sets in this time of year. But this year, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. The majority of my students are college-bound and have committed to their school of choice, yet I still have about 35% of my class failing right now. I know they need a wake-up call, but “You will not graduate” doesn’t seem to be working. What’s happening? And how do I help them?
I’ve taught AP Lit for 12 years and I’m used to the senioritis that sets in this time of year. But this year, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. The majority of my students are college-bound and have committed to their school of choice, yet I still have about 35% of my class failing right now. I know they need a wake-up call, but “You will not graduate” doesn’t seem to be working. What’s happening? And how do I help them?
—RUnning on empty
Dear R.O.E.,
Having not taught seniors before, I will defer to our Big Kid expert on staff, Meghan Mathis. Here’s what she had to say:
“That is so rough. Having taught senior English for almost a decade, I know how much effort you’ve already put into helping them get across that graduation stage, and it is SO frustrating when they just seem to refuse to do anything to help themselves get there.
“I’d start by meeting with them one-on-one. Show them their grades and ask them point blank what their plan is when they fail your class, because that’s where their current choices are leading them. Now’s the time to be blunt. ‘How are you going to explain to your family that you won’t be getting your diploma with your class because you’ll need to attend summer school to earn the credits you’re not going to get if you don’t fix things SOON?’ Don’t let them hem and haw. Really ask them to visualize telling their family they failed.
“Once they see where they’re headed if things don’t change, lay out your plan for how the two of you are going to get them to their diploma—together. Yes, they’re seniors. Yep, some of them may even be 18, technically adults. But in reality, many of them still feel like kids who need our help. Have a clear, doable plan in mind for how they can complete the assignments they owe or the tasks they need to finish in order to pass your class. Make sure they’re broken into small, manageable chunks and you have frequent check-in points for them between this meeting and the last day they can turn in assignments.
“Is this a lot? Absolutely. Should you have to be responsible for this? Absolutely not. But if helping these students get their diploma is your goal, you’re going to need to give them a lot of support to get there. End your meeting by letting them know how committed you are to seeing them graduate and how possible it is, IF they follow the plan the two of you have agreed upon. Send them away with one specific task to accomplish and a firm deadline for when you want to see it.
“And if they don’t turn it in? That’s a great time to set up a meeting with your student, their parent(s)/guardian(s), the school counselor, and the principal. Bring the plan so they can see everything you’ve tried so far and determine as a team what the next course of action should be. Good luck!”
(Isn’t Meghan great?)
One thing I would add: Let your principal know that 35% of your AP Lit class isn’t on track to pass and invite them to personally come to encourage your class. Maybe hearing the exact same words from someone else—perhaps the person not handing them a diploma in a few weeks—will jolt them awake.
Dear We Are Teachers,
OK, not sure if it’s just the middle school where I work, but the screaming has become intolerable. Kids are unleashing bloodcurdling screams in class, in the hallways, and at lunch. It’s not just exaggerated reactions to things that are funny, surprising, gross, etc. They are definitely doing it to catch teachers off-guard and see who can get away with it. And so far, they are getting away with it, because my principal thinks this is just normal May rambunctiousness. Can teachers do anything about it?
—i scream for no scream
Dear I.S.F.N.S.,
You have two options: offense and defense. You can play just defense, just offense, or both. (Is that how every sport works? I don’t know. I need to stop with sports metaphors.)
Defense: Get some Loop earplugs. Call home for any of your students who break the rules.
Offense: Tell your principal you’ve received lots of complaints from students about how annoying the screaming in the hallways is and how it hurts their ears. Ask if it’s OK if they practice their email etiquette/advocacy and write you about the issue. Hopefully your principal sees the writing on the wall—that annoyed kids = annoyed parents.
If your principal says, “No thanks, I’ll put an end to this issue now,” great.
If your principal says, “What a great idea! I would love to reply to hundreds of emails this time of year!”, do it! And encourage students to have their parents write similar emails too!
I come back to this idea again and again—that it’s sad that parents can get things moving at school way faster than teachers can. But for now, anyway, it’s the truth. And thus we have to play … defense …? Ugh, I don’t know, OK?!
Dear We Are Teachers,
I’m at the end of my first year teaching 5th grade. My biggest feedback from my administrator this year was to stop taking disrespect and defiance from students personally. I know he’s right (and he gave me this feedback in the nicest way possible), but I don’t know how to “improve” on this. Are there certain strategies or techniques you recommend to compartmentalize a child’s behavior and keep it separate from your human feelings?
—A human (shocking, I know)
Dear A.H.,
Undoubtedly, the single-most helpful thing I learned before I started teaching middle school was the anatomy of kids’ brains. I can’t tell you how many times I thought back to the visual of their shriveled little underdeveloped frontal lobes. To illustrate my point:
A pile of pencil shavings deposited from the pencil sharpener directly NEXT to the trash can instead of inside it? Underdeveloped frontal lobes.
Found “I EAT SH*T TACOS” scrawled into a desk? Underdeveloped frontal lobes.
Stepped on a strategically twisted-up ketchup packet and got ketchup all over my white Air Forces? Underdeveloped frontal lobes.
Seriously, though, it helped a lot to know that my students—even when reactionary or making bad choices—were doing so because they couldn’t biologically do better. This doesn’t mean that they got off the hook or that I dismissed their bad choices. It just meant that I could deal with their behavior without thinking it was a reflection of me or my teaching.
Here are some other pieces of advice—and I’ll link to where I found them so you can read more!
“I learned about behavior, trauma, relationships. And I explore my own trauma history and triggers to build up my coping skills. For example, I focus on being safe for them in a variety of ways: calm voice and body, consistent and clear communication, take accountability for my own actions and mistakes, consistently give a gentle warning before I bring up topics that require a bigger mental and emotional lift, take a breath and be the accepting and unmovable rock when they’re triggered. When I find a behavior especially challenging, I remember kids are good inside and they do well when they can. I remind myself: If they’re not doing well, they’re having a hard time.” —A.W. on our Facebook HELPLINE group
“Two words: rational detachment. You have to stay out of your emotional brain and stick with your thinking brain. Rational detachment is the ability to stay calm and in control—to maintain your professionalism—even in a crisis moment. It means not taking things personally, even with button-pushing comments.” —our article Principals Know How To Keep Cool During Tense Conversations. Here’s How They Do It.
“The best thing about teaching is that we are all human. The worst thing about teaching is that we are all human. So much baggage comes with school. There’s not enough time in the world to figure out why kids say or do what they do. So step back and address what’s happening without personalizing it. The next time you find your patience challenged, ask yourself, What does this student need right now?” —our article 11 Big Classroom Management Mistakes (Plus How To Fix Them)
Finally, if all else fails, imagine them as a baby. Or a dog. Or some other creature that would never twist up a ketchup packet with the intent for it to explode on you.
I finally decided to leave a toxic principal and school. I’m applying to a new school in a new district. In the spot where it asks “Reason for Leaving” on the application, I’m wondering what I should put. I’m thinking either “Seeking leadership that reflects my educational philosophy” or “Needed improvement in work culture.” Which would you recommend?
11 mil likes. 28K followers. 2.7 million views. These aren’t stats from an NFL player or major recording artist. They belong to P.E. teacher Sam Balto in Portland, Oregon, who created an organized way for students to ride their bikes to school every morning.
What is a bike bus?
Coach Balto’s bike bus originated in 2022—on Earth Day, to be precise. As Balto told People magazine, “It was a way to get my students active, reduce car trips of students being driven to the school, and have fun on bikes.”
Each day, students gather at the meeting spot at the assigned time. Once it’s time to leave, they bike together with parent volunteers and teachers, including Coach Balto. Other riders join the pack along the way. The “bus” has evolved to include music and unofficial cheerleaders in the community. Best of all, Coach Balto’s bike bus has inspired teachers and schools across the country to start their own!
Take a look at the bike bus in action:
We love so many things about Coach Balto’s project. The sense of community, kids starting their day with physical activity and outdoor time, the music … what an inspiration!
FAQs About the Bike Bus
1. How do you cross major streets?
2. What does the bike bus do when it rains?
3. Where do you store the bikes at school?
4. How do you prevent accidents with cars?
Ready to start your own?
In response to Coach Balto’s super-popular TikToks, people have started their own bike buses across the country! Coach Balto has a tab on his TikTok page for starting your own with these helpful videos.
Week 1
In this video, Coach Balto explains how he started a bike bus for his son’s school. He starts with planning, then shows their first practice ride, and finally gives his thoughts on improvement.
Week 2
Coach Balto mentions how he reviews expectations with the increased number of riders. He also mentions the challenge of finding a pace that works for both elementary and middle school riders, as well as the challenge of getting more bike racks.
Week 3
After two weeks of riding the bike route, Coach Balto shows how to get the word out about the bike route, plus the challenges (and joys!) that continue as a new bike bus gets off the ground.
In an age when TikTok trends often revolve around viral pranks or dares, it’s refreshing to see a P.E. teacher pedaling his way to the hearts of his students and the community. Coach Balto’s bike bus initiative isn’t just about exercise—it’s about fostering a sense of community and proving that educators can lead by example in the most unexpected ways. Maybe this will inspire more educators to think outside the classroom and onto the bike path.
In my first district, my coworkers and I watched it play out so many times. We could practically set our watches to it. If an employee did something bad and our principal didn’t like them, they’d be fired, demoted, or retaliated against. But if a district “darling” did something bad—teacher, AP, principal—it was only a matter of time before they’d be promoted to a higher-paying position in central administration. Instead of punishment, they’d get promoted. In other words, failing upward.
What is “failing upward”?
Traditionally, failing upward is the idea that someone succeeds in their career despite being mediocre at their job. Certainly, this happens in every field and profession.
But in this case, we’re not talking about being mediocre. We’re talking about employees breaking serious rules, creating hostile work environments, and engaging in seriously unethical behavior. Instead of being removed from their position after an investigation, they get reassigned or, worse, promoted to a higher-paying job in central administration.
Stories from teachers
Recently, I asked teachers from across the country to tell me their stories of administrators or teachers failing upward. I thought maybe I’d just hear from other districts like H.I.S.D., districts that grew too large and lost oversight of their employees.
Nope.
I heard from teachers in rural schools, suburban schools, small districts, large districts, wealthy schools, Title I schools, nearby districts practically in my backyard, and others across the country. Some even from other countries.
Failing upward is everywhere.
I will keep all these teachers anonymous for obvious reasons, but here are their stories.
Sexual activity and harassment
Far too many teachers told me about principals, assistant principals, administrators, and teachers caught engaging in sexual activity on campus with people in their chain of command—and who were promoted to higher-paying positions in the district as a result. Other teachers wrote in about sexual harassment or retaliation after spurned advances. Here are just a handful of stories from teachers:
“Off the top of my head, I can think of four situations involving principals in our district who were caught on campus (one in the parking lot) having sex with teachers or staff members. I doubt it will surprise you that no one lost their job, one principal is now superintendent, and the other three work in central administration.”
“A principal and AP at the same high school—both married to different people—were caught multiple times having an affair on campus. Instead of any kind of discipline, the AP was promoted to principal of a high-performing school in the district and the principal was made associate superintendent. Everything was swept under the rug. Both still work in the district.”
“When I was teaching, my AP made multiple advances toward me, even promising me an AP position if I slept with him. I reported it and nothing happened because there were no witnesses. Guess who is principal now!”
Here’s the thing. As I’ve said in my advice column on the topic—I don’t care about most of what administrators do on their personal time off campus. But when people who are in charge of kids decide to engage in sexual behavior or speech on school campus, it feels like an abuse of power.
Creating a hostile work environment
While sexual activity on campus is mostly just gross to me, creating a hostile work environment is way more common. Most teachers’ stories were of grossly inappropriate, aggressive, and/or bullying behavior from an administrator—and then watching as their complaints resulted in a promotion.
“My principal was removed (twice) and investigated for creating a hostile work environment including angry outbursts, erratic behavior, stalking a staff member on camera, and carrying a knife. Naturally he was moved to a leadership role in HR.”
“An admin in my district in southern Utah was taking photos of teachers doing things wrong like talking to each other at recess duty, etc., and using these photos in faculty meetings to show what not to do. She was removed from her position and given a job in the district office as the elementary education literacy coordinator. One part of her job was facilitating teacher trainings.”
“My former principal was constantly coercing new or timid teachers to show her group messages with other teachers to see who was complaining about her. Promoted to associate superintendent.”
“I watched an AP shove a child into the wall in our hallway. Despite my police report, this AP was simply given a higher-paying position in central admin.”
Sexist, racist, or unethical behavior
We all say things about our jobs that we wouldn’t broadcast to a larger audience. And we all do things we later regret. But definitely not all of us do or say things like these school leaders. Here’s what some teachers shared:
“She was drunk and hit a parked car. Went to the district office as PowerSchool coordinator.”
“Said our history department was a bunch of ‘skinny white b*tches’ in a district email. Until very recently she was very high in command in the district. When she was finally fired and security was sent to escort her out, she threw things at the officers.”
“My principal used a racial slur and had an affair so he got promoted to the county office. Georgia.”
Why are these administrators promoted instead of punished or fired?
There are many reasons why a district might promote a bad leader instead of firing them. Here are some insights and speculations from administrators I’ve talked to for this article:
Minimizing impact as an institutional practice: Mental gymnastics can easily turn a fireable offense into no big deal. “It was just a mistake.” “It was two consenting adults.” “No one was on campus.” “No one was injured.” “There weren’t any witnesses.”
It’s easier to sweep it under the rug: Announcing a scandal is a lot of work. Press conferences. Dealing with angry parents. Drafting letters. Making staffing decisions. Far easier to reassign someone and keep things quiet.
It’s hard to fire administrators: Rigid bureaucratic frameworks that make it challenging to fire staff without extensive documentation and due process. Promoting, however, is very straightforward and jumps right over these procedural hurdles.
Good ol’ boys clubs: In many educational settings, there is an implicit culture of protecting colleagues and maintaining a collegial atmosphere. A “We protect our own” situation. In these environments, whistleblowers aren’t lauded for holding coworkers accountable—they are punished for not “having grace” for their fellow colleagues’ “mistakes.” Loyalty at all costs is rewarded—especially in environments where everyone has dirt on each other. It’s gross, but it’s very, very common.
The impact “failing upward” has on educational quality
Certainly, not every school or district has a culture of protecting bad leaders. But what is clear from teachers’ responses is that it happens so often and across so many communities that it’s barely surprising anymore.
Administrators failing upward has left many teachers feeling hopeless and voiceless. Moreover, this culture of protecting rule-breakers prevents real talent from moving into leadership roles—especially talent that is willing to speak up about unethical behavior.
We need every school to foster a culture of accountability, particularly for administrative behavior. Districts need better oversight, including an independent committee to review cases of mishandled wrongdoing. But most of all, we need to listen to teachers—and respond—when they tell us bad things are happening in their schools.
I’m in my 10th year of teaching 3rd grade. I used to love the end of the year, but now I find myself dreading it. Not only are there more celebrations—whole-class graduations, individual graduations, in-school parties, out-of-school parties—but every event is just so exhausting and excessive. I find myself having to deal with vendors, clear space so the DJ can set up his station in our classroom, and become the de facto Slide Monitor for the bounce house. Not to mention having to pose in what seems like a thousand pictures instead of being present and actually enjoying my time with students. I love my students and want to celebrate a fabulous year with them. How can I set boundaries around all the crap next year?
—How do i unsubscribe?
Dear H.D.I.U.,
This time of year is hard for every teacher, but with a little extra sparkle for elementary teachers. Often, parents get so excited about the “fun” part that they forget you’re there for the “safety” part, both in the real world and the digital one.
I don’t think the “let’s cut back on the celebrations” battle is one you want to fight, nor do I necessarily think that’s what you’re saying. What I hear is that you (rightfully!) no longer want to be the party coordinator.
I think this is a job to pass off completely to your classroom parents. Run this email (or a version of it) by your principal, which you can send at the beginning of the year as well as again in April as a reminder:
“Hi ____,
One of my favorite parts of the school year is when it’s time to CELEBRATE! I love all the creative, fun ideas our parents come up with to recognize our students’ growth and achievements throughout the year.
While I’m happy to attend events and share in the fun, it’s important that I’m able to focus on my job: keeping students safe and learning. For this reason, I’m asking that parents share among themselves the workload of:
Polling of interests, preferences, dates, etc.
Planning activities, food, treats, etc.
Coordinating volunteers and shifts
Supervising or facilitating anything that takes my focus away from the safety of the group
Setting up and taking down
Additionally, I want to reiterate our school’s social media policy: [insert policy here]. Please take care during any celebratory events to make sure you’re following these guidelines.”
Then, the first time you’re asked to blow up 200 balloons (nope), check on your school’s clown policy (nope), or drag a parent’s giant thousand-dollar cooler to the kitchen to fill with ice (nope), you can politely remind parents of these guidelines.
Also, just don’t be around while they’re setting up. Say you’re in a meeting and go get a Diet Coke or something.
Dear We Are Teachers,
Yesterday while walking to dismissal, a teammate (one I really don’t get along with) grabbed a 4th grade student’s wrist and was pulling him toward the back of the line. I tried to intervene as she kept pulling, and finally the student shoved her to get away. My teammate yelled at the student for “assaulting” her, so I stepped in and yelled back,”If you hadn’t put your hands on him, he wouldn’t have hurt you.” Not my finest moment, but I was definitely at my boiling point with her.
I talked to my principal, who thanked me for letting him know, and I was honest that I didn’t respond professionally. Nevertheless, he sent me a meeting invite to talk about what happened. I’m worried that I’ll be reprimanded for yelling at her in front of students. Was I in the wrong?
—I’m Just here for the safe schools
Dear I.J.H.F.T.S.S.,
I don’t think you’re in trouble. As a teacher, I would also be mad enough to yell if I saw a student being hurt. As a principal, I would be furious if one of my teachers put their hands on a student (outside of the need for self-defense). And as a parent, if a teacher grabbed my child out of anger? Suffice it to say there would be a verbal dressing-down unlike the world has ever heard.
My spidey senses are telling me that you’re probably being called into that meeting to write a statement that will be used against the wrist-grabbing teacher. She sounds like a very serious liability for your principal, and it’s lucky you intervened.
But on the off-chance that you’re somehow in trouble here, don’t panic. Smile, nod, and head directly to your school’s union rep after the meeting. An administrator who doesn’t swiftly intervene with a teacher for putting their hands on a student is not an administrator that should have children in their charge.
Dear We Are Teachers,
I used to be in a heavy metal band in my teens and early 20s (25 years ago), and the pictures are impossible to scrub from the Internet. Trust me—I’ve tried. It’s my 8th year teaching middle school math, which means that for the past 7.8 years, my students have been Googling my name and then broadly disseminating this information.
I know this isn’t a big deal, but it’s just kind of embarrassing. I feel like the punchline, both among my classes and every time it’s brought up (by someone else) on a faculty get-to-know-you activity. Should I just get over it, or is there something I can do that doesn’t make me seem like a total fun-sucker?
—wASHED-UP ROCK STAR, POSSIBLE FUN-SUCKER
Dear W.U.R.S.,
“Embarrassing” is reason enough to put an end to it! That’s a valid feeling (and can feel super distracting and uncomfortable at work). Here are several ideas for you to consider:
Try hiring a professional to scrub the Internet for you. They’ll have the muscle and experience of telling companies or individuals, “Hey—take this down or we’ll sue.” If that doesn’t work:
Send a friendly but clear email to your coworkers that you’re not OK with your old band photos being used as a punchline. They probably bring it up because they think you think it’s funny too. But setting this boundary will help a lot in setting the tone for students. Acknowledging that you don’t think anyone brings this up mean-spiritedly will go a long way in helping the email feel less awkward.
Consider leaning in. OK, this is my wild card idea, so feel free to reject it if you want. But I wonder if this situation will feel less embarrassing and awkward if you take ownership of it. Explore the idea of bringing in your guitar to play for students or crash the talent show. Maybe blow up one of the photos of you as a rock star. Add text that says, “Yes, this is me. Yes, I know I rule.” Hang it in your classroom so when students think they’re uncovering a dark secret, you already beat them to it.
Ultimately, this is about your comfort level, though. If an issue comes up over and over that makes it difficult to do your job or just makes you feel awkward, you have every right to ask for help from your coworkers to make it stop.
I’ve put off getting a dog throughout college and my first few years of teaching because I wanted to wait until I could provide it with a happy life. I do live alone and have a 30-minute commute to school. But now that I’m financially stable, have summers off, have a more manageable schedule, and live in an apartment with a dog run, I think I could be a great dog owner. I paid a deposit to get an English springer spaniel puppy just as school is letting out so I’ll have time to train her. My parents are furious, saying that with a teaching schedule, it’s cruel to get a dog. What are your thoughts?
