“Why can’t we bring Pokemon cards to class? I thought we
came to school to have fun.”
“No, we come to school to learn.”
And besides, I thought, your parents are not
paying big bucks for you to come to school to play Pokemon. If that were the
case, they could hire a babysitter for much less money than the cost of
tuition.
However…learning can be fun.
As Mary Poppins says, “In every job that must be done, there
is an element of fun. You find the fun, and ---snap---the job’s a game.”
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| Practicing skills on the iPad |
Take math, for example. When I was a kid, math class meant numbers on a paper…or maybe a blackboard. These days, math is more colorful…red and yellow counters, unifix cubes in rainbow colors, games, and puzzles. The students are now using apps on the iPads to practice math skills, so math practice is accompanied by bells and whistles.
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| Learning about shapes |
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| Putting together those puzzling teen numbers |
On Friday, math class
involved playing games in small groups. At first, I heard some arguments as
some groups disagreed on the best method of completing the task. But once the
students learned to work together, they were able to complete the assignment
and take pride in the finished product.
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| Addition practice |
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| Subtraction practice |
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| Using playing cards to make sums of 10 |
Students today have creative options for learning skills...many more options than I had back in the day. They don't all like the same activities. Some students like playing games in groups; others would rather work individually on iPads. Some students love assignments that involve crayons and coloring. Others find coloring a waste of time. Some like song and dance; others…not so much.
But over the years, I’ve noticed that the most successful
students are the ones who will embrace new activities and give their best
effort to the task at hand. The best students will take pride in a job well
done… even when it’s a paper and pencil activity. And they’ll strive for
excellence, even in activities that are not their favorites. The most
successful students are the ones who maintain a good attitude and find the fun
in whatever they’re doing.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working
for the Lord.” Colossians 3:23
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| Recording observations about heat energy |
"Can you take a picture, Mrs. Kemp?"