Positivity and Proficiency

School starts next Monday for me and Wednesday for my students.  I'm really looking forward to and hoping for a more normal school year.  I felt lucky last school year as I was in the building with most of my students for most of the year, but this year we are not offering a virtual option or hybrid schedules (as of now).   Today I wanted to write about some ideas for starting out the school year.   Here's a list of ice break ideas I have used in the past.   I like to use these the first week or two of school.   All first year students fill out this getting to know me sheet.   This year I will also give it to my resource (homeroom) students.   I email and send home this Parent Welcome Letter with my first year students as well.  Day 1:  Level 1: I do not go over the syllabus! (I will do this day 3).  Instead I introduce myself in German and ask what the students understood and how they understood it since I am speaking German but they haven't learned German yet.  In the la