Using Mixers or Ice Breakers in Professional Development

​When you have been to enough training workshops, you develop a sixth sense for when the dreaded "mixer" is coming. This activity usually causes me to have a sudden urge to use the bathroom. It is an introvert's worst nightmare. 

Mixers generally fall into three categories:

1. The Awkward Mixer: This PD Will Be Less Boring if I Talk to Some Strangers
I think presenters/trainers must get some kind of handbook that says you must force people to get up and move around the room if you plan to talk at them about boring stuff for two hours. When you are presenting in a way that is not engaging, and you throw in a "mixer," it feels very contrived, and it does not make a boring presentation suddenly more interesting.  If I could have talked about this with the strangers I was already sitting with, what is the point of this mixer? I am also less likely to talk at this point because my brain is currently focused on the anxiety I am feeling over adjusting to a new group of people I don't know.

2. The Lazy Mixer: Usually Done in a Staff Meeting to Separate Naughty Teachers
Have you ever felt excited to walk into a staff meeting and see that there are names posted at each table telling you where to sit? Me neither. If you need a seating chart for your staff meeting, maybe you should reevaluate how you structure your meetings. I understand that sometimes you may need your staff to sit in grade-alike or department groups for the purpose of collaboration. When no collaboration or discussion is involved in the session or meeting, this just feels like a behavior management strategy. 

3. The Dancing Mixer: Can We Please Leave the Victory Dances to Fortnite Characters?
This is by far my least favorite mixer. If this one catches you by surprise, it is nearly impossible to suddenly need to go to the bathroom. I do not recommend this. When you stand up to make your way to the exit, someone may mistake you for a teacher that wants to dance, and they may grab you by the hands and start swinging your arms around. You may get poked in the eye by a wildly dabbing old man. Just stay in your seat and wait for it to be over.

When Moving is Meaningful: The Authentic Mixer

• Gallery Walks and 360 Math are cool. The only time I have ever felt the urge to dance during professional development was during a session on 360 Math. I don't know how I even ended up in this session because I try to avoid math like I try to avoid the awkward mixer. Still, Ed Campos plays Beyonce's "To the Left, To The Left," and I am so excited about this learning experience that I almost want to dance to the next whiteboard on the left. These authentic mixers are most likely happening during an engaging professional learning session full of experiential, hands-on learning, with lots of meaningful discussions. Why do I like these mixers? The focus is on doing meaningful work rather than having meaningless conversations.

Got an idea for a great mixer or icebreaker? Please share it in the comments. I'd also love to learn some new strategies for avoiding bad mixers.