Have you ever introduced a topic to your class and watched the eye rolls?
"Ugh, I'm never going to use this! I'm going to be a ________." (Fill-in-the-blank career that they probably WILL need this for, but I digress.) "This is so boring!" "But are we going to do anything fun today?"
I'm discovering that maybe, sometimes, it's ok to disguise my goals. Just a little.
We could just do the math drills the class needs. OR we could do an "escape room" where students must solve enough equations to unlock the door before the zombies break in!
Both methods address a classroom need, but one (though slightly disguised) is more likely to produce eagerness and excitement for the learning process.
Think through it. What task do your students hate? Is there a way to make it a game/activity?
There are ENDLESS basic games on TeachersPayTeachers on Pinterest: trash can basketball, escape rooms, relay races. They can be used for any subject and can transform "boring" and "unengaging" into a fabulous learning experience without sacrificing content!
Here's my own "disguise the lesson" story. My students always struggled with personal narrative. I've heard "but I don't have any good stories," "nothing exciting happens to me," etc. It finally dawned on me that these same kids tell stories CONSTANTLY... on social media! Was there a way to combine what they were already doing with personal narrative?
I decided to give it a try and the result was my Personal Narrative in Social Media activity. This is a great introduction or anticipatory set to a personal narrative/experience writing or speaking unit. Remind your kids they are already telling stories- we are just going to get better at it!
What "disguises" have you tried with your students? Did it work? Comment below!!
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