Classroom Activities

Developing lesson plans must be one of the toughest tasks of our nation's teachers and professors. With the technological revolutions of the past decade or two, attention spans have shortened, and distractions have infiltrated classrooms. Text messages and access to social networks through classroom computers decrease the likelihood that students will be as interested in classroom activities, lecture and discussion.

Of course, these challenges increase as the students grow older. When polls ask children what would help improve their learning experience, answers typically consist of some variation demanding to include fun classroom activities interspersed throughout their lessons. This is too broad of a suggestion, and does not give teachers much material to work with. There are strategies that teachers can implement to hold fast to their authority inside the classroom; however, developing lesson plans that are refreshingly entertaining and/or up to current fads is one of the best ways to ensure the interest of students.

For example, a Biology teacher in High School incorporated the theory behind the game of Jeopardy into her lesson plan every time she wanted to assess how well her students had learned material, and to help them prepare for exams. Adding the edge of competition into classroom activities ensured that students' attention was not only captivated, but future games of Jeopardy were awaited with enthusiasm.

Another method that could be incorporated into regular classroom activities would be to have a different group of two or three students teach the day's lesson every Friday throughout the semester. This may not be as fun and entertaining for the group lecturing, but it will give them an insight into the difficulty of teaching and potentially increase their respect and interest for your methods as a teacher.

Suggestions from students typically include activities like playing games, drawing, painting, and free-lance activities that could be used as a break from the regular lesson plan. These are often good fosterers of creativity in the students, but are rarely taken as serious educational tools by parents and administration. A fun activity that would be both educational and fun (and which I have not heard employed among classrooms of late) is the classic "Spelling Bee."

Competitions would drive students' desire to become stronger contestants, while simultaneously improving prospects for developing a continued interested in achieving higher education. Having a strong vocabulary is a skill that opens doors throughout whole lives. Perhaps the forgotten Spelling Bee should make a comeback!