A "Me Box" was introduced to me for the first time as a child in elementary school, which I had to gather personal items to introduce myself to my classroom and peers. Now being at Niagara university, I had to do the same with my peers in my early twenties, yet it had more of a personal connection this time around. This activity is meant to introduce yourself but also to show what represents you and your culture, values and interests. This was the first assignment in my Methods in Early Learning class at Niagara, and is now being used in my placement at San Lorenzo Ruiz Catholic School. My grade 5's are asked to do the same task as part of their Fully Alive / Religion to really bring to life their culture, religion and values in their families. I included items such as a rosary, pictures of my family, a book that is meaningful to me, a plane ticket, concert bracelet, etc. Each item has represented me in a different way, at different stages and moments in my life. I found this activity to be very fulfilling and meaningful, which my grade 5's are preparing for now and are super excited for.
As an upcoming teacher, I will most definitely be using this activity in my classroom, regardless of the grade I am teaching. This activity can be modified for any age group -- as I explained I did this once in JK/SK and once in teachers college. It is a great way to interact with your new class early in the year to get to know them, where they come from and their interests. Students are able to interact with peers, feel a sense of inclusion to see the same interests as other students or to introduce new concepts to peers, to learn about you. I look forward to implementing this in my own classroom one day and getting to know my students in a deeper, more visual way to connect and understand each individual!
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