Kick-Start Your Class: Academic Icebreakers to Engage Students
Kick-Start Your Class"My first priority in any class is to help my students believe in themselves and their ability to learn."   —LouAnne JohnsonIn Kick-Start Your Class, LouAnne Johnson (educational expert, long-time teacher, and author of the New York Times best-seller Dangerous Minds) offers a dynamic way to engage students that will get them on the road to learning with enthusiasm. The book is a collection of icebreakers specifically designed for teachers—quick, cost-effective, enjoyable activities that engage students from the very first minute of class. In addition to being fun, these activities serve a real purpose in the classroom. Research shows that effective academic icebreakers can increase student motivation, create a positive classroom environment, and much more. Using these inspirational icebreakers will help:Engage students' brainsPromote critical thinkingImprove behavior and cooperationEncourage creativityUnify the classroom communityCreate positive attitudes towards learningThe teacher-tested activities within may be used with students at all levels, and many of the activities include variations and modifications so they can be applied effectively with different groups."An amazing gift for a student or a beginning or seasoned teacher, Kick-Start Your Class offers a rich compilation of multi-disciplinary, ready-to-teach classroom starters, concept-builders, and closers that will invigorate the culture and climate of any classroom."—Pamela Prosise, thirty-year veteran teacher and literacy specialist, McMinnville School District, McMinnville, Oregon"LouAnne Johnson's book is packed with priceless lessons and activities for today's teachers. It doesn't matter whether you work in a regular day class or an after school setting; or whether you're a first-year intern, an instructional leader, or a life-long teacher, Kick-Start Your Class is a must-have resource for all educators."—Jim Vidak, Tulare County Superintendent of Schools, Tulare County, California