Retaining the Knowledge and the “Fun”

As September gives way to October, we’ve learned all our students' names, finalized seating charts, and introduced procedures that have now become norms in our classrooms. This period is that sweet spot where teachers and students are still vibing off the spirit and promise another opportunity to do it again, but better. Committing to the preservation of that enthusiasm and vigor is automatic for educators. We want to do our best for our students, so preserving that spark through our lessons and activities is where we invest our energy, to motivate our young scholars to appreciate and enjoy learning.

Admittedly, this is an area where I frequently struggled. I knew that students want their learning to be fun, not dull; they want to like their classes, even when the classwork is challenging. However, I saw “fun learning” as an oxymoron. When I gave an assessment or assignment that required students to demonstrate how well they had mastered the learning objectives, it seldom reflected my expectations. I concluded that students were not connecting the fun activities to the learning targets; to me, the fun overshadowed the retention of knowledge and understanding.

So, I curtailed the fun activities because I knew two things: my students needed to remember what was taught, and I needed to show evidence that my practices were effective. The result of this all-or-nothing approach made my lessons more teacher-centered, and not only did I bore and discourage my students from learning, but I could also hear the negative sighs in the classroom when they entered.

Now, I knew that I would never be the archetypal fun teacher, but I also knew that my students would stop giving their all to lifeless instruction from me every day and throughout the year. So, I thought about which activities my students enjoyed. These were the ones that they would refer to often, asking, “When are we going to do that again?” Those activities laid the foundation for my instruction and influenced my teaching style. They included debates, round table discussions, and Socratic seminars. Students loved these sessions. Even those who were the least prepared or introverted had specific roles that provided them with opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding, and participation. All three of these activities resulted in excellent outcomes, and student engagement also increased.

Another thing I changed was my perception of those fun activities I originally used with my students. I found that some of them were effective for guided practice, group work, and review or makeup days. What I also learned back then is how important it is to take an honest and reflective temperature check of one’s teaching practices.

Ms. WITT