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Grace Hoelzel
Professor Suk
EDUC 230-01V Education Field Experience
Spring Semester 2021
Rationale Statement Standard 2

Standard #2 Learning Differences

“The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and
communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet
high standards” (NJ Professional Teaching Standards, 2014, p.2).

Artifact: Ice Breaker Assignment

Date of Completion- Spring 2021

Course Completed in: EDUC 230-01V Education Field Experience

This artifact is an icebreaker activity for students to be able to get to know each

other on the first day of school in a fun, engaging way. Students will have to sit in a

circle, facing each other and pass around a stuffed animal/ ball to each other, while

sharing different facts about themselves in different question rounds. This is a way for

the kids to feel more comfortable with each other , and to have fun throwing something

around to one another, also keeping them engaged. This artifact specifically relates

back to Standard 2 Performance 3 “The teacher makes learners feel valued and helps

them learn to value each other.” (NJ Professional Teaching Standards, 2014, p.3).

Standard 2 Performance 3 focuses on the teacher being able to make sure her students
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feel valued, and making sure her students value one another, and that is how all

classrooms environments should be. In the icebreaker, students are valuing each other

by listening to each student talk about themselves and making sure every person in the

class is heard. The activity is a chance for everybody to get to know each other and

respect each other in the process and having fun doing so.

When creating an icebreaker activity for my future students, one of the things I

learned when creating this artifact is making sure I created a get to know me game for

all students to enjoy. It was important for me to remember that not all students are

comfortable talking out loud in front of people, and especially on the first day students

can feel nervous. This is something that I have dealt with in all my years of school, and I

realized ice breaker games were not as bad as they seemed, when there was a good

one to play. I wanted to create a game that was as welcoming and enjoyable as

possible, for the kids to be able to feel comfortable and wanting to hear what each of

their classmates had to say about themselves. It took learning something as little as

researching the kind of style students should be sitting in that would be most inviting

and welcoming, which was sitting in a circle with each other.

In the future, this ice breaker game is a game I intend to do with my future students

as it is a nice way for students to be able to get to know each and have fun doing so in

the process. I will also play different icebreaker games that are similar to this one, as

they should be fun, engaging, and a comforting first day of school game for students to

do. Most importantly be able to create games where all of my students feel like they are

welcome and valued in a way that makes them feel important.

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Reference

New Jersey Professional Standards for Teachers Alignment with InTASC. (2014, August 4). Retrieved from
New Jersey State Department of Education:
https://www.state.nj.us/education/profdev/profstand/ProfStandardsforTeachersAlignmentwithI
nTASC.pdf