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I have borrowed an activity (from an unknown author) that has worked well in my classes. The activity is called "I AM," and its goals are to offer students an opportunity to get to know one another and to gain increased self-awareness. The only materials needed are paper and pencil for each participant. It helps if the paper is the same color.

Now the process:

1. The facilitator distributes paper and pencils and asks each participant to write five true statements beginning with the words "I am…"  None of the sentences may include information about the person’s appearance (height, weight, sex, race, etc.).  Example: I am an optimistic person. I am an Easterner by birth but a Westerner by choice.  I am the mother of two children. I am a great listener.

2. Tell students not to write their names on the paper but that others will eventually find out who wrote the sentences.

3. When finished, students place their papers face down on a desk or chair placed in the middle of the group.

4. One student selects a paper at random and reads it to the entire group. (Student should not read his/her own.)

5. After the student has read the sentences, the group members guess who wrote them and discuss why they think so.

6. After the group has had ample opportunity to guess which member wrote the sentences, the author identifies himself or herself.

7. Steps 4 through 6 are repeated until all papers have been read and all authors identified.

8. The facilitator leads the group in discussing questions such as:

 This is a powerful activity and I think your classes will enjoy it.

 --Frank Szymanski, Director of Athletics, Chesapeake College, MD  <fszymanski@chesapeake.edu>

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A response from Karen Soutar:

Your exercise reminded me of two similar ones which I've used.  You can flip the one you did and have students at the beginning of a course answer the same questions about the instructor.  This can lead to a discussion about stereotyping.  For example, students usually have me as a wonderful cook, married for 25 years, and having children who are grown--none of which are true.  We have many laughs with the stereotypes.  Sometimes, I don't identify the accurate perceptions until later in the quarter, and the students are dying to know what they are.  This is a good icebreaker to let students know teachers are real, accessible people.

 A second exercise is to list three things that you've done in your life.  Two must be true and one must be false.  Then small groups read them to each other trying to decide which is not true.  They pick the stumper from their group to share with the large group.  This exercise can be used in a variety of ways.  Sometimes students change only little to make their lies sound true, i.e. modifying initials of a group name, such as PRCA.  This kind of information can preview test-taking.  Also, many students are surprised about the truths.  A third plus is that often the untruths are activities that students would like to do.  This is a great icebreaker, fun, and unthreatening, but insightful.

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