I thought that this was a wonderful way to get children talking about who they are, their likes, dislikes etc. I also think it is very important for teachers to bring a bag to school too. Firstly to model what kind of items would be best but also so that the students get to know the teacher too.
The first term for me is all about getting to know my students but it is also a time for my students to learn about me. The best way to build relationships with your students is through stories. This activity is a fabulous way to bring visual starters for such stories. The items that I would place into the bag are:
- a dog toy to represent my dog, Bonnie. Children love to hear about her and the mischief that she gets into. Photos of Bonnie in silly situations make great writing prompt for later.
- a pair of baby booties to represent my children. Once again this is a way to invite children into my life. I have a heap of photos of my daughter and with another one, on the way, there will only be more.
- a photo or maybe an old lens cap to represent my love for photography. I think it is important for children to know that we have interests outside of school. Photography is a great passion of mine and this could be a great conversation starter to get the children to share their interests and passions.
- My last item would be a book. I love to read and it is something that I encourage all my students to do. I have a huge personal library, which I have slowly extended over the years. I always try to engage children in reading by finding out about their interests and linking those to books.
By simply sharing four items with a class I can give a huge insight to who I am, or at least, start the conversation. During this activity, I would encourage the children to ask questions. The more they know about you, the more they begin to understand and relate to you.
Thank you for the brilliant idea, Samantha. What a rich activity this is!
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