![]() Everyone is posting at the same time, so the board is constantly growing, keeping it engaging. After you have made one post, it is not much of a stretch to add a comment. Posting a single word on Padlet anonymously is a low-barrier action. I expect the reason this activity avoids awkwardness so well is that it eases the students into the conversation at each step of the way. If I am lucky, they start to forget I am there as the conversation unfolds. Then, I mute myself and stay muted while the students talk. I start by choosing a value and explaining why I appreciate it (I usually choose one without a lot of comments or upvotes). I ask them to choose one other post besides their own and share what they like about it. Then, I congratulate them on an excellent list of values, which is delightfully the case since students respond so well to the invitation this activity provides. I give students several minutes to make as many posts as they want, and to comment on or upvote other entries. The students quickly fill in the bulletin board with other posts such as, “Collaboration,” “Respect,” “Fun,” etc. The Padlet is already set up with my classroom value as a sample post: “Bravery: Speaking up, especially when you’re feeling unsure,” with an attached image of a person tentatively raising their hand. On the first day of class, I share a Padlet link with students and ask them to post words, ideas, or images to represent what is important to them in a classroom. Posts can be made anonymously, you can allow for upvoting and/or commenting, and you can customize the design. Users can post text, images, links, or other digital content. Padlet is a free virtual education tool that functions like a large board covered in Post-It notes. This activity manages to accomplish all of these goals in only 15 minutes with the assistance of the Padlet tool. ![]() Your first class also offers an important, yet often overlooked, opportunity to discuss classroom values, or how the instructor and students would like to be treated in the classroom. The first day is crucial to set the right tone, and this includes encouraging community building and getting everyone on the same page with how the course will run. Here, I describe a field-tested activity that is especially appropriate for the first day of class. Could there be a way to avoid awkwardness by easing the students into the conversation? Ditto for icebreakers and typical “norm”-setting discussions. In my experience, spontaneous conversations about classroom values can be awkward.
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