Reverse Icebreakers

Icebreakers are not only great tools to help students get to know each other at the beginning of a new class or the start of a school production; they also help to set the tone for the upcoming time together. So if you’d like to foster an environment of thoughtfulness, compassion, and empathy in your drama classroom, try using these icebreaker questions that are all about kindness. Use the following questions for full-class introduction or discussion questions, for the traditional “pair up and interview your partner” exercise, as bellwork or welcome questions at the beginning of class, as written journal or exit slip prompts for the end of class, or as playwriting prompts. If you’re using these questions for an in-person, verbal discussion, you may want to allow some time for students to contemplate and plan their answers before sharing, or even give them these prompts ahead of time. These prompts require a bit more thought and consideration than the typical “What’s an interesting fact about yourself?” icebreaker. 1. You’re casting a show called Kindness: The Musical. What’s the opening number about? 2. What colour or shape do you think kindness would be, and why? 3. What is a small act of kindness someone did for you that you’ve never forgotten, in drama class, in a show, or otherwise? 4. What is a compliment you’ve received that meant a lot to you? 5. How can actors, technicians, and/or stage management show kindness to each other in rehearsal? 6. Think of a character in a book, movie, play, or other media who embodies kindness. What makes you feel that way about them? 7. Think of a character in a book, movie, play, or other media who really needs some kindness. What would you do for them? 8. If there were a superhero whose main power was kindness, what would they be called, and how would their power manifest? 9. What is an act of kindness you’ve done recently (big or small)? 10. Why do you think kindness is important in the drama classroom? Need even more icebreaker questions? Check out these 20 open-ended, inclusive prompts.

“What did you do on your summer/winter holidays?” is over. “What are your plans for the weekend?” is boring. You need some new and fresh icebreaker questions to get your students conversing. Not only will these questions help your students get to know each other, but they’ll give you deeper insight into their lives and personalities as well. The following questions are open-ended, so students can share more than just yes/no or one-word responses. They’re also meant to be inclusive, so students can participate without feeling “less than.” For example, asking students what they did over the holidays can be great if they went on a fancy vacation, but not so great if they had to stay home and babysit their siblings or work a part-time job. Some of the questions are funny, some are serious, some are more personal. Be aware of your students’ dynamics and what questions might be uncomfortable for them, and adjust or omit questions as necessary. You can use these questions for the traditional “pair up and interview your partner” exercise, as full-class group discussion questions, or as written journal prompts. 1. What television show, movie, novel, or comic book do you think would make a great theatrical stage production? Why? 2. If you got to set the drama curriculum for the semester, what lessons/topics would you teach? 3. What do you think drama teachers do when they’re not in class? 4. What is your dream job? How could the skills you learn in drama class help you to get that job? 5. What are three traits a great drama teacher should possess? 6. What is something you’re interested in? Why does it interest you? 7. Name a person you respect or admire. What is it about that person that you like? 8. What is a great piece of advice you have received? Or, what advice would you share with others? 9. If you could write a play or musical about any topic or featuring any music, what would you create? 10. Describe a favourite taste or smell with as many expressive words or phrases as you can. 11. If you could donate a million dollars to any charity or cause, what would you donate the money to? Why? 12. If the drama classroom could talk, what do you think it would say? 13. If you could have any talent, what talent would you want and why? 14. What place — real or fictional — would you like to visit and why? 15. If you had a time machine, would you rather visit the past or the future? Why? 16. What do you want to be remembered for? 17. If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be? Who would star in the movie adaptation? 18. Describe how you’d arrange and decorate your ideal drama classroom. 19. What three words would you use to describe yourself? What are three words you think others would use to describe you? 20. What is something that always makes you laugh?

When you’re starting out a new term, it’s always a priority to get to know your drama students, whether they’re new to you or returning for another class. We have lots of resources for fun ways to get to know your students, including active games and novelties, icebreaker questions, and bingo. These activities are great for discovering your students’ likes and dislikes, learning interesting facts about them, and gaining some insight into why they’re taking drama class. You can also use questionnaires to get to know your students better. The advantage of using questionnaires in class is that they can be kept confidential, which means students can be a bit more forthcoming with their answers than when they’re working in a large group or with classmates they may not know very well. We have a questionnaire to find out about your students’ past theatrical experiences with drama and theatre, as well as a questionnaire to gauge your students’ previous theatrical knowledge. It’s also helpful to know what kind of learners your students are. Some students are visual learners, who learn best by reading or watching examples. Some students are auditory learners, who learn best by listening to instructions. Some students are kinesthetic learners, who learn best by getting up and practicing the tasks right away. Some students may need additional support for their learning, such as more time to read the material, an aide or interpreter, or working with a peer. Some students thrive in a busy, active environment, while others work best when it’s quiet and calm. Some students hate group work, while others need at least one partner to keep them on task. Some of this information may previously have been given to you, if your students already have an IEP (individualized education program) or similar identified learning accommodation. However, regardless of whether your students are neurotypical or neurodiverse, or whether they have a diagnosis or not, it is beneficial to you to know how you can best support your students in their learning journey. Even knowing what other classes your students have this semester is helpful information to have. You won’t be able to provide every single accommodation, but you might be able to make some adjustments so that you’re employing a wider variety of lesson delivery techniques, offering choices on how your students can learn and present the lesson material, or avoiding assigning a huge project that’s due the same week as their big chemistry lab or history test. Some topics you might want to ask about in your learning style questionnaire include: • Learning styles (auditory, kinesthetic, visual), if known • Learning preferences (projects, worksheets, lectures, hands-on activities, etc.) • Students’ tolerance for noise in the classroom • Whether students work better individually, with a partner, in small groups, or in large groups • Whether students prefer to do homework at home or complete it during class time (if available) • Accommodations that students could benefit from • What students wished their classmates or teacher knew about them • Topic preferences (students might take drama but hate acting — are there options for them?) You can format your questionnaire with circle answers, checkboxes, or short answer sections — whatever works. It’s nice to have a variety of types of questions to answer. Leave space for students to include additional notes or explanations, and reiterate to them that you will keep responses confidential. Check out our questionnaire template at the bottom of this article for a formatting example. Be sure to thank your students for their time and honesty, as it will truly benefit everyone in the classroom (anonymously, of course). And as much as possible, apply their responses to your classroom and lessons! Your follow-through will demonstrate that you genuinely care and are listening. And when students have the resources in place to help them, they will be that much closer to success. Additional Resources:Giving Instructions for Different Learning Styles The Inclusive Classroom: Drama Class for Students with Special Needs Tips for Running a Relaxed Performance of Your Show (this article gives ideas about making accommodations for various student needs)