Let’s not spend more off-contract time inventing original games.The better answer is to leave the game making to the game makers, then tweak those games to fit our lessons. Teacher friends, we have enough on our proverbial plates.

We all know games are fun, right? But coming up with our subject specific games takes time and energy. I also like to use them to help students make connections–academic and social.

I love how games can also encourage both logical and creative problem solving. Depending on the activity, games can “boost language skills”, “improve focus”, and “teach the value of teamwork”. praises the benefits of board games as effective learning tools. However, many educators would beg to differ. You might think this seems like an elementary solution to a secondary problem. So what do we do? One solution is to include game play in lessons. In our instant-gratification fueled world, I don’t think that’s changing anytime soon. More and more, teachers are called up to be entertainers and motivators while still maintaining effective educational practices. Question: What problem rivals cell phones as the biggest distraction in the classroom?

Bingo for ela classroom