• Mini Whiteboards

 Giving students the opportunity to write their own responses to questions rather than having them unconsciously agree with whatever they’re told enhances the learning experience. By allowing students see what their peers are thinking, as well as asking questions to the teacher, provides them with a better understanding of the topic at hand. The whiteboards bring a sense of fun to the discussion and make it a little easier for students to stay engaged. 

• Kahoot, Blooket

Kids love to compete with each other, and games that can be centered around whatever they’re focusing on in class bring out that competitiveness. Wanting to win supplies students with a reason to get questions right and understand the material. It’s a great way to help kids who might not be super interested in their work to participate in class. These websites have different game modes and themes which keeps the repetitiveness to a minimum. 

• Posters/Arts & Crafts

Hands-on learning is a great way to help kids have a bit of fun in class. Making posters is not only a way to show understanding of a topic but also to initiate excitement around it. These types of activities promote group work and interaction between students. 

• Learning Walk & Change of Scenery

It’s hard to be completely focused for long periods of time. Sometimes a change of scenery is just what kids need. Whether it is going outside on a nice day to write an essay, or even just being open to students moving to the hallway, library, or other safe learning environment. 

• Group Work

Working in groups has many benefits. Kids can be with their friends, who, more often than not, make them feel comfortable enough to share questions they have about work. Being able to bounce ideas off someone you trust and have them help you, improves overall knowledge on a subject. According to a study performed at Carnegie Mellon University, group work has been proven to contribute to student learning, retention, and overall college success. 

• Class Discussion vs Worksheets

There’s an unknown split between kids who enjoy class discussions and kids who prefer worksheets since each student is unique and therefore, may have different desires pertaining to their learning style. They both will most likely end up going over the same amount of information, however, each one has its own pros and cons. Class discussions are very inclusive and leave room for kids to ask questions, while worksheets are more independent and push kids to think on their own.

• Popcorn Reading

Popcorn reading is a very controversial subject. Some kids don’t mind being randomly selected to read, but for others, it’s their worst fear. In my opinion, I would keep Popcorn Reading until after the class is more comfortable with each other and would avoid springing it on them for the first couple weeks at least. 

• Food Based Curriculum

Introducing food into the classroom is an easy way to get kids’ attention. It serves as a teaching moment as well as a break from regular learning. Some examples could be, candy for counting or ratios, making meals for nutrition, or even mixing ingredients for chemistry. 

• Seating

Allowing kids the opportunity to choose their seats shows that their teacher trusts them. Sitting with friends can increase productivity and help students be more interactive. On the other hand, assigned seats force kids to make new friends and branch out of their comfort zone. Also, some students may benefit from assigned seating since it can be hard to focus and get work done while getting caught up in conversations with friends. 

• Prizes (homework pass, skip test, extra points

Rewarding good behavior/grades with some sort of prize will make kids want to succeed in class. The prizes don’t have to be big, something as small as extra credit points towards a test would work. If they have something to look forward to it provides that extra push for kids to want to learn, especially if they struggle with test taking.