RETENTION THROUGH PLAYFUL LEARNING
Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.
Retaining things learned in a classroom for a long time is challenging. We, generally, tend to forget things when they are out of context. Thus, teaching in such a way that it survives even after the contents of the textbooks have been forgotten demands special skill.
A teacher is not only an instructor but a facilitator as well. Their job is to ease learning and make the journey joyful. Creating joy in the classroom facilitates playful learning more and certainly aids in faster learning.
Things that transpire inside the classroom have a deep effect on young minds. That is the reason we tend to have fresh memories of school life, other than memories of any other period. Therefore, it is impossible to measure the extent of the impact that teachers have on their students. In the same vein, a teacher affects eternity as we can never realize when and how they cast their influence.
For that reason, the target should be creating joyful learning experiences for young learners. Simultaneously, facilitating the absorption of knowledge.
SOME TEACHING HACKS AND TIPS TO BOOST PLAYFUL LEARNING
Theoretically speaking learning is the “acquisition of knowledge” but teaching deals with helping the learners in acquiring this knowledge. Restrictive teaching and strict and formal ways have to be done away with within the present context. The reason is methods are evolving and so are the learners. The teachers, too, need to be updated as per the demand and plan their lessons accordingly.
Here are some tips that can bridge the gap between joyful teaching to playful learning.
Begin with a new energy
A teacher should be energetic enough to infuse the same energy into the classroom. This will be proportionate to the level of excitement of the students. This will reflect its consequences in the form of student participation and interaction. They will enjoy the teaching process thus ensuring a better learning experience.
Make it enjoyable
Teachers should introduce a topic interesting way so that it garners students’ attention at once. The learners must enjoy the experience the way they enjoy their games. There are ample online materials available to make the learning experience similar to that of gaming. There should be some jokes and banters to fuse some laughter moments in the classroom. Overall, the session should be enthralling like a roller-coaster ride.
Keep it fun-filled but relevant
Making it fun-filled and still keeping it relevant is an onerous task. There are constraints with some subjects because few lessons are not actually fun-involving. To mention a few, subjects like Grammar and Mathematics, are remarkably practical and logic-based. Making them interesting is makes you a whizz. Teachers can take the help of online applications to give an enthralling experience.
Keep it relatable
Inculcating subjective knowledge is not a piece of cake. However, real-life examples can make the process smoother. References to relatable incidents make it interesting as well as inspiring. It helps in gulping the complexities as it provides relevant justification for its position in the curriculum. It utilizes the experiences and does not let the little day-to-day incidents fall through the cracks.
Acknowledging Mistakes
No one is born perfect. It is very likely to err as teachers, too, learn while teaching. If a teacher acknowledges mistakes, it makes the students comfortable. They feel free to open up and speak without fear. Besides, pointing at the mistakes of the students politely too encourages them. Simple phrases like: “I’m sorry” and “It’s okay” can make great differences.
Involving Learners with Love
The curriculum emphasizes being learner-centric. Teachers and learners are complementary to each other. One’s exists because of the other. The teacher must ensure the student’s participation in the teaching-learning process is high. Besides, students deserve the unbiased love and attention of the teacher. Even the toughest kid in the class deserves to feel loved and wanted. This itself will work as an inspiration for the learners and they will be enthusiastic.
Inspire and Enhance
Reinforcements and diagnostic evaluation play a vital role in enhancing the process of learning. Teachers ought to figure out the problematic areas of the learners and give them second chances in new circumstances. This will make them think in diverse ways and make it interesting for them. Scaffolding steps in the teaching process make learning effortless. It further inspires the learners to take up new challenges and enhance their knowledge.
The joyful ride of this teaching-learning process will help the learners in challenging life circumstances outside the classroom. Teaching should be synonymous with rejuvenation or rekindling of thoughts and emotions. It should bring an overall development in the learner’s personality instead of being confined to the academic world.
These given techniques are not limited to traditional classroom teaching, these are handy for online education as well. The trajectory of teaching has seen a great shift due to post-COVID challenges. These tips and tricks can be used even in virtual classrooms to achieve desired learning outcomes.