Now that I am a substitute teacher, I don't have to participate in the back to school inservices. Every year about this time, some of those crazy memories come flooding back. There were some really good sessions where I learned valuable information to use in the classroom. Those aren't the ones I'm describing.
One year we had to walk across bricks that were scattered throughout the library. I can't remember the purpose of the activity. The bricks were spaced so that it was kind of a stretch. I remember going into panic mode because I have a bad left ankle and hadn't shared this information with my peers. Another time we had to get in line from shortest to tallest. There were about a hundred of us, so this was no easy task. I remember being glad that I was not at the very end of the line.
I'm not sure why the powers that be think teachers need activities that are clearly fun for some but extremely stressful for others. Sure, there were young, coordinated teachers leaping from brick to brick. I'm also sure that there were some teachers who felt the fear set in like I did. I do know that most of the teachers would prefer to be working in their rooms, although there are always a few who seem to have it all together way before school starts.
As I met my students for the first time each year, I always tried to make my class a safe, comfortable place to be. I designed activities so that they could pick and choose their roles. Some kids are so shy that standing up in front of the room and introducing themselves is a real stomach turner. Getting over shyness is not an easy task. Inservices that required us to get in groups and come up with a speaker reminded me of that every year. I was never shy around my students, but standing and talking in a large room filled with adults is difficult for me.
It's so important to see students as who they are. Having students line up from shortest to tallest only makes some kids feel inadequate because they are significantly shorter or taller than their peers. Treating them as individuals with feelings will make for a better, happier year.