Blog Post #3

This week I researched two more aspects on the quality 8 which were fun and learn and be challenged. I reflected on how to implement these strategies into a classroom setting making it more enjoyable for students to want to come to school and learn. Before our next Genius Hour post, I will need to research two more qualities to write my next post. This week I combined fun and learn and be challenged as they overlap with each other.

In order for students to be successful in their learning, they must find interest in what they are doing and have fun with what they are learning about. A key strategy to integrate fun in the classroom and be challenged to learn something new is giving students choice in what they are learning about. Children always have individual choice in what activities they want to participate in at camp which gives them agency and a sense of autonomy. Like we have been learning about, students are more successful when there is a more student-centred learning approach or having flipped classrooms. Having choice allows students to have fun with their work because they can engage in what they want to research making them excited. Students are challenged to be active participants in their own learning by exploring the topic of their choice. Another way to make classrooms fun for students is to connect the material to students interests and personal lives. When students can relate to subject matter they are more willing to learn and stay engaged.

[Online Image]. Retrieved from https://binged.it/2pmkhpI 

Retrieved from Hopkins, D. (2012). [Online Image]. https://binged.it/2MFltMX

Students have fun when lessons are interactive or when there are games involved. Students can make sense of their own learning when there are interactive components involved through hands on experiences. Students can also have fun with cooperating or collaborating with others in interactive lessons. Students are able to challenge each other and learn from other ideas too. Another way to make the classroom interactive is going on a field trip or learning in a different setting such as outside. When students are interactive and engaged, they are more interested in what they are learning, which leads to having fun. Teachers can incorporate drama in their lessons making it interactive for the students. Students can act out scenes in books, dress up as people from social studies units or use their imagination in being creative.

Personal Photo, 2018.

[Online Image]. Photo Retrieved from https://www.discoveryacton.org/fieldtrips

Jigsaw learning activities is also a great interactive way for each student to take responsibility in what they are learning and learn from others. Each student is responsible for their own piece and they come back and share with each other. Furthermore, adding technology where students can explore their learning by playing games or incorporating gamification makes it more fun for students to learn as they are challenged at their own pace through quests or levels. When lessons or classroom material is too easy for students, they lose interest, get bored and do not have fun with learning. There needs to be a balance where students are challenged enough where they can still learn and have fun.

[Online Image]. Retrieved from MedEdPublish https://binged.it/32femlb

The most important strategy for students to learn, be challenged and have fun is to get to know our students and have a positive attitude about what they’re learning about. When teachers show passion towards what students are learning about and have a good relationship with their students, students are more likely to thrive in their learning.

(Content sourced from personal communication & Cox. J. 10 Ways To Keep Your Class Interesting.

https://www.thoughtco.com/ways-to-keep-your-class-interesting-4061719)

Stay tuned for my Movie Trailer about my Genius Hour Project. I have never made a movie trailer before and I have very little background on how to use iMovie. It will take some trial and error, and playing around with iMovie until I complete my trailer! There are only four more elements of the quality eight to research on. Thanks for reading my blog!