by Terry Heick

The premise here is simple enough, and I’ve written well-nigh this kind of thing surpassing in greater detail (see 20 Questions Parents Should Ask Teachers).

You’ll likely learn their name, roughly be worldly-wise to estimate their height, know what school they attended last, know what languages they speak, and get a sense of what school–at least so early in the year–seems to ‘mean’ to them. But what else should you know?

The big idea here is to use the first day (or week or month) to get to know the right things well-nigh your students.

We’ve shared 11 Simple, Back-to-School, Getting To Know Students Questions where Dawn Casey-Rowe takes a squint at–well, the kinds of questions teachers might consider asking students whilom and vastitude the common.

Below I’m going to offer up 12 increasingly that you might consider. This is a scaled-back version of 26 Questions Every Student Should Be Worldly-wise To Answer.

How relevant they depend on the student, their grade level, how yacky they are, how well-appointed they are with thinking well-nigh thinking, and so on. Use at your own discretion, of course.

12 Questions To Ask Your Students On The First Day Of School

1. What do you love? What are you most proud of?

2. When are you at your weightier as a person? As a student? Friend? Brother/sister?

3. How do you respond–emotionally, practically, etc.–when you’re challenged?

4. What do you need from me to be successful this year?

5. What does it midpoint to ‘understand’ something?

6. What should school ‘do’ for you?

7. What should you do with the things you know?

8. Are you a picky reader? What are your strengths as a reader (or ‘scientist’ or musician or mathematician, etc)?

9. Who are your heroes and why?

10. What do you want to learn well-nigh this year? What are you curious about? What can a person do with curiosity?

11. When are you most creative? Why do you think that might be?

12. What do you want me to know well-nigh you? What should I be asking you but I’m not?

See also 6 Instructional Strategies That Challenge And Support Students

Bonus Questions To Ask Students On The First Day Of School (Or Just To Get To Know Students)

Do you think you’re a good student? A good learner? Is there a difference?

What do you like to read? When is your favorite time (or where is your favorite place) to read? Who is your favorite author?

Forget well-nigh a job–‘who’ do you hope to wilt one day?

12 Questions To Ask Your Students On The First Day Of School