Teaching with Games and Creative Activity
| Subject: | 🎓 Education |
| Type: | Reflective Essay |
| Pages: | 3 |
| Word count: | 659 |
| Topics: | Teaching Philosophy, Creativity, 👔 Job, 🔥 Motivation |
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Teaching Philosophy
I am a strong believer in interactive learning hence I frequently used games and creative activities as a way of teaching the students. Repetitive learning habits can become monotonous to the students hence makes them lose interest in the subject (Giglio, 2015). Creativity means thinking outside the box, in a manner that is not habitual and leads to innovation. The integration of games and creative activities in my teaching encouraged participation from all the students as they were excited about the lessons. Moreover, my inclusion of games and creative activity made the students look forward to our lessons and stay focused throughout the learning session. Games and creative thinking defy the traditional learning settings which were defined by calmness and lack of fun as teachers were strict to the students.
Hands-on learning engages the students and diverts from the traditional methods of learning and teaching (Jensen, 2008). Involvement of students in the learning process ensures that they never forget what they are taught. When students are told something, there is a likelihood of forgetting which is different from their involvement. Instead of assigning students work to do individually at home, at times I would incorporate them into groups where they would solve the problem and present their solution to the others. I also employed the use of reflective activities which were displayed visually in the classroom hence increasing their contextual understanding of the content. I used posters and models created by the students to teach as it provided a stimulating warm environment.
Moreover, I used role playing as an important tool in my creative teaching. This occurs when students act in the role of the characters that they are learning about. It helps students have a better understanding, not to mention that it is impossible for one to forget the content once they have participated. The introduction of unconventional learning materials in the classroom enhances the creativity and understanding of the lesson. I incorporated videos which were relevant on the topic of discussion therefore broke the monotony of the use of textbooks which increased the attention to detail and concentration of the students. I also kept a flexible classroom layout for the students which accommodated for a range of learning activities and styles with minimum disruptions. Teaching with games and creative activity therefore enhances the active participation of the students in the learning process which enhances their understanding of the topic (Sale, 2015).
Motivation
Motivation is an important element in learning that acts as an internal driver which directs behaviour to a particular end (Baer, 2012). The use of games and creative activity in teaching provides motivation to the students. When I first began to teach the students, only a few actively participated in the learning sessions as others seemed bored and sleepy. However, when I introduced games and formation of discussion groups, all the students actively participated and looked forward to answering questions. The climate of the classroom determines the motivation of the students.
Additionally, students get encouraged when they get approval and positive reinforcement from their teachers. I praised students when they did a job well and recognized their contributions which encouraged them to keep doing a good job. Students can also be encouraged by incentives which make learning fun as they focus on the goal. Lastly, students are motivated when topics of learning are drawn in connection to real life which shows them the importance of the lesson. Motivated students perform exceptionally well in all areas unlike unmotivated ones.
- Baer, J. (2012). Teaching for Creativity: Domains and Divergent Thinking, Intrinsic Motivation, and Evaluation. Teaching Creatively and Teaching Creativity, 175-181.
- Giglio, M. (2015). Towards a Creative Teaching/Learning Process. Creative Collaboration in Teaching, 209-213.
- Jensen, E. (2008). Brain-based learning: the new paradigm of teaching. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Corwin Press.
- Sale, D. (2015). Developing Creative Teaching Competence: The SHAPE of Creative Teachers. Creative Teaching Cognitive Science and Technology, 105-136.
Offered for reference purposes only.