OBJECTIVE:
Ensure students feel welcomed and reconnected to their cohort
REQUIRED PREP:
Transform your room – Next Gen sessions should be different from typical classes — change the atmosphere of your classroom and get ready for your first session!
Greet Your Cohort - 15 mins
Goal: Students meet or reconnect with their cohort leaders.
Opening Huddle:
Feel free to play music to generate energy and set the vibe! You can also assign the role of “DJ” to students.
Gather the students and introduce yourself, share the following:
- Name
- # of Years with Next Gen
- What are you looking forward to the most?
Activity 1: Senior Six - 20 mins
Goal:Students learn more about each other and visualize their Senior Year.
Explain the rules of Senior Six. It’s Senior year, and it’s time to realize your dreams and commit to your journey after high school. As we all reconnect with the cohort let’s kick off the year by sharing how we plan to end the year. In SIX WORDS ONLY – share your narrative for senior year.
Examples:
- From first grad to Chemical Engineer
- GPA was low, but acceptances are high.
- From migrant ancestors to NASA astronaut
- Quiet freshman turned top-tier graduate
Join the students in playing and help create new phrases.
Activity 2: Creating our Ritual - 20 mins
Goal: Before the session ends, make your cohort a ritual.
You know the drill: every year in Next Gen, we create a new ritual for how we start and end our sessions. For one final time create this year’s ritual with your cohort. Make it special, it’ll be your last one.
Use the following examples to prompt a discussion and help create a ritual:
- What will our last ritual be? A Mood Check? Hand Shake? Chant or Mantra? 2 Min Meditation?
Keep it short yet effective! Together, make a ritual that allows your cohort to disconnect from the school day and reconnect into a safe space as a cohort! This will be how you start & end every session!
Closing - 5 mins
Closing Huddle:
- End by collectively performing your exit ritual!
- Remind students of the next session!
