As a teacher, it might be difficult to incorporate video games into the classroom and at home, but the results can be astounding. The lure of video games on children is well-known to parents of today’s children. Older or younger, male or female, you’ve definitely heard the pleading that veers dangerously close to the edge of obsessiveness.
The biggest obstacle to education, whether you’re a superhuman or have kids that look like they belong in a 1950s sitcom, is boredom. Unstoppable sighs and a dreadful black pit that eats away at people’s motivation and attention spans. One thing, and one thing only, has consistently relieved my ennui as a parent and school volunteer in my admittedly limited experience. That is, playing video games to learn.
Take advantage of children’s fascination with video games to keep them from becoming bored. Although my son dislikes sitting down to practise arithmetic with flash cards, he loves it when we sit down in front of the computer or a video game console.
Using video games to study can be a little challenging at first, but it’s well worth the effort. Discipline in my son’s classroom swiftly worsened when I attempted to introduce an instructional video gaming session. As soon as they returned from recess, there was a palpable sense of anticipation in the air. Is the high-quality plastic smelled like bacon by children? As a result, a sort of rugby scrum erupted when Mrs. Holmes asked for an orderly group around the classroom television.
As time went on, the students grew accustomed to the idea of utilising video games to learn, and they now saw it as an integral part of their education.
We found that setting up a number of “stations” and dividing the children into smaller groups worked best, with each group spending around fifteen minutes at each station (certainly separating apart the trouble-makers – they’re thick as thieves). Making as many of the stations as “authority independent” as possible is the key; the less time you spend explaining regulations, breaking up fights, or answering foolish questions from stations One through Three, the more time you’ll have for some intense teacher-(or teacher aide-) student contact. You’ll discover that allowing children to learn through video games fosters independence in them for the brief period of time they spend playing the game.
The main problem with using video games to educate pupils is something that happens all the time with this age group: no one wants to share. Televisions and computers are scarce in most schools. By donating an old CRT television to my son’s classroom, I was able to ease some of the pressure on his teachers. As a parent, it’s a terrific method to help your children get an education if you have any unused televisions. If your child’s classroom has a limited supply of resources, pupils will have to be encouraged to share.