I’ve been teaching at GCC for 20 years and have tried a lot of best practices and trends in my teaching: gamification, flipped classrooms and project learning are just a few. However the best teaching trick I ever introduced to my class is my version of Show and Tell. 

Every week students are asked to bring something from their home to share and discuss during class.  I select specific items each week for either a purpose or to relate the item to the content being covered for lecture. For example, on the first night of class, I ask students to wear their favorite shirt, hat, or piece of jewelry to encourage students to want to have their cameras on during our live online class. Week two they bring their favorite snack for the discussion on Sensation and Perception. For the week we cover Lifespan Development, students are asked to bring a picture of themselves during their childhood. For Memory week, they are asked to bring a family heirloom or something they want to pass down to future generations. Every week I put the students into breakout rooms where each student has a turn to share what they brought that week with some of their classmates. During break-out sessions, students share their item and the story behind the item. Students then submit an assignment where they list who was in their group and describe the item they brought. I refer to these break-out sessions as In-Class Activities, and here is an image of one of these assignments.  

Just because I think this is a great idea, doesn’t mean that it is. However here is what students had to say when asked about their favorite sharing activity.

• My favorite thing overall about the class was sharing activities
• My favorite sharing theme was the collections. Seeing people’s items was cool but hearing the stories behind them is why it was so memorable. I still remember my group mates concert shirts, butterfly themed items, and baking supplies.
• I loved hearing about everyone’s achievements, and it was really uplifting to see all the amazing things my classmates have accomplished. Plus, hearing the teacher’s encouraging words at the end, made it even more special. 
• My favorite theme is the most recent one talking about our collections and why they started. I enjoyed this one because it showed me more about my classmates and what they enjoy. I got to see some really cool legos and hear about books that are different from what I’m used to. 
• I enjoyed every breakout session and sharing activities; talking with everyone and discussing various topics was delightful. 
• My favorite sharing theme was the toy theme, I enjoyed seeing all the little tiny toys that my classmates have. It was my favorite theme because it made me relate to my classmates in that they also had little toys on hand with them.
• My favorite theme was also our most recent when everyone brought something they’re proud of. I think knowing what someone is proud of tells you a lot about their life and personality, and it was fun learning that about people.
• My favorite breakout session theme was when we all had to bring a favorite picture of ourselves and explain it. I loved learning about my classmates lives
• I’m going to be honest, all the sharing activities were interesting and informative because they all related to the topic we were learning about for the week. It was also very interactive because the people I had in my breakout room not only participated, but I was able to get their opinion about the topic and could even ask for their input about certain concerns I would have and vice versa.
• My favorite sharing subject from the weekly small group breakout sessions was “Memories from Childhood.” This subject promoted a feeling of understanding and connection among group members by enabling a sentimental journey into everyone’s history. Talking about our early years brought up a variety of feelings, from reflection to laughter, and gave us an insight into the early events that shaped the people we are now. This topic was the most enjoyable to me since it sparked meaningful stories and strengthened the group’s sense of friendship.

Show and Tell allows my students to connect with each other and build community in a virtual space. They are given a space where they can share personal stories and life dreams with their classmates. Although in-person class time is limited, I encourage everyone to create some time during the semester to give students that space to build friendships. If you are interested in ideas for Show and Tell themes, send me an email and we can surely come up with some fun ideas!