Ice Breakers

An icebreaker is a type of ship designed with a reinforced haul so as to plow through thick sea ice of the arctic, Antarctic and other ovens that have lots of ice. But that’s not the cool type of ice breaker I’m talking/ranting about today.

Today I’m talking about that good old fun time staff meeting activity.

For those of you who love ice breakers, god bless you!

I am not one of those people and I am not afraid to admit it or show it with a sarcastic eye roll at the mention of one.

Don’t get me wrong, ice breakers do have a time and a place. Do you have a room full of new hires who don’t know each other, but will be together for the next few days or week? Boom! An ice breaker is a way to get people to know one another.  Got people from all over the country who rarely if ever talk, there you go perfect ice breaker material.

Where ice breakers fall flat for me is when you are in a meeting with people that you work with day in and out for 3 years. You talk everyday and know everything about each other. What is an ice breaker really going to do there? Holy moly Joel’s favorite breakfast treat is now French toast and not waffles????? How did I not know this? How will I go on??? Plus, Joel it’s alway waffles!

Yeah, no……..

For small school environments where staff member see each and talk to each other everyday an ice breaker is not honoring or showing us that our time is valuable. Teachers have just been through a day teaching the last things some of us want to do is to share some random bit of information with people who know all about us, just so they can…..what?know what my favorite office item is? My red stapler, I have no clue.

For me, please honor my time as an educator and after the pre-meeting snacks please get right to the agenda topics for the meeting. the sooner we can get through this meeting, the sooner we can go back to grading, lesson planning, emailing parents, sweet talking the copier to to working for us, learning about the newest pedagogy or educational technology must have. The sooner we can get back to have conversations with our co-workers and friends about meaningful topics to us, not just what our favorite ice cream flavor is. Mine would be chocolate if you’re wondering.