As the end of the school year approaches, I believe it is important to still remember to find time to have some fun and relevance in the classroom. I try to remember that everyone needs a recess of some sort! We teachers often find ourselves forcing the last three chapters/units/etc. onto our students, instead of finishing with lessons our students will remember. Below are several examples that illustrate I am working to practice what I preach.
First, in my Participation in Government class I have set aside the last TWO weeks of class to show the HBO special “John Adams”, in the school auditorium. We are almost done and it has been an excellent way to illustrate just how difficult it was for our “founding fathers” to agree (and we think partisan politics is bad today). We are ending the unit with a paper of their choice that relates somehow to government and the 1700’s. This includes dress, language, mannerisms, grooming, etc. Their last paper for my class is based on their creativity.
Second, in my Economics class, I have given them 30% of their final as a take home exam. The catch, they can do all the research they want and bring in notes on three essays of their choice (they choose from 12 questions), but they must write them in class. In return, I have raised the expectations in regards to how I grade them. In reality, there is no excuse to pass my exam. For seniors struggling to graduate, it is an awesome lesson in not giving up.
Last but not least, I have one section of Global Studies 10. This class has a New York State regents exam they must take June 18th. We have spent several days playing jeopardy on www.regentsprep.org. This adds much needed excitement to review that normally consists of practice questions and essays.
As I end my eleventh year of teaching I have found that I am best able to keep my students focused during the closing days of the school year, if I remember to keep it fun and keep it relevant. I know all teachers have games, trivia, and activities that are fun. Now is the time of year to use them.
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