Report #1
FIPP Activity Report
Funded by the Basic Skills Initiative
Name Greta Hendricks
Date 9/28/09
FIPP Partner Julie Land
Section #6211
Activity /Strategy "Why Do I Miss Class" group icebreaker and journal writing
from On Course website list of ideas
Category setting classroom expectations
Briefly describe the activity/strategy.
1. Introduction This activity gives students an opportunity to examine the choices
that they make related to attending class. I explained the purpose of the
activity and briefly described the procedure.
2. Set up & Supplies white board, markers, and copies of pages 26 and 27 of On
Course book, 5th ed.
3. Directions 1. Entire class generates a list of reasons that students have for
missing classes. 2. Students individually create their own lists of reasons they
have had for missing class. 3. Students set their lists aside and read about
victims vs. creators and choices (pp. 26-27 in On Course). 4. Students mark
each item on their list as either a victim's excuse or a creator's reason. 5.
Students write journal entries about what they have learned about their
commitment to attending classes. 6. Discuss.
4. Conclusion This activity ended with a brief discussion of the terminology from
the reading (victim, creator, choices, and goals).
What worked well? Starting out by explaining that this activity was meant to be nonjudgmental helped keep the mood up. Many students responded to the listing part of
the activity with laughter. It helped that I told them the purpose of the activity was to
give them time and structure to step off the treadmill and reflect on their situations, their
goals, and their choices.
What would you change? Can't think of anything.
Would you use the activity/strategy again? Why or why not? Yes. Attendance is important
in my class and this activity allows students to think about their attendance, examine
their past behavior, and take responsibility for their actions.
Please describe any student learning outcomes/changes that you observed after the
implementation of the activity/strategy. In the time since I've done this activity,
attendance and punctuality of the class has improved.