For any teacher, one of the prime goals is to motivate and inspire students to learn to the best of their abilities. This will allow them to reach their highest level of potential, gain a broad knowledge of academic subjects, and ideally prepare them for higher education in the form of college or university.
However, it can often be challenging to create tasks and activities for students that adhere to the curriculum whilst also allowing captivating lessons and projects to be delivered. The old system of learning information by memorization and repetition may be effective to a degree, but it rarely inspires students and may not be the ideal form of learning.
In this article, three unique school activities are explored. Each of these activities has the potential to inspire a wide range of students whilst also teaching them a range of valuable skills.
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A school book project
Many students love the idea of project work. It is far removed from simply writing notes and memorizing information and can help to improve teamwork and communication skills. A prime example is to encourage your students to collaborate on a school book project. Start by getting some writing worksheets that will help you align your book project with educational standards and provide structured activities for each stage of the process.
Students can then be asked to give themselves specific roles during the project. Some may choose to focus on content creation for certain parts of the book; others may choose to focus on the planning and management of the project—ensuring that timescales are adhered to and that everyone contributes.
Many teachers find that this is a highly effective way to inspire teamwork between students. In addition, the project can help to introduce students to the basic concepts of time and project management whilst producing an end product that will give them a sense of achievement.
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A sports day
School sports days provide a wide range of athletic activities that are enjoyed by many students. Such events help to foster a competitive spirit as students aim to be the best in specific track and field activities. In addition, it is recognized that sporting and athletic activities may help students to focus more effectively in the classroom and achieve higher grades.
Teachers should aim to hold a school sports day once a year—ideally in the early summer months before schools finish for the academic year and when the weather is likely to be warmer. Small prizes, perhaps in the form of trophies, should be given to winning competitors to encourage all students to reach their highest levels of sporting excellence.
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Music lessons
Finally, it is important to recognize the value of music in education. This subject is often the first to suffer when budget cuts are made, but it is a key activity that can boost the creativity of students and truly inspire them.
Today, the guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments, and this should be reflected in music lessons. Students should be taught the core concepts of music theory (including scales, chords, and modes). Once they have fully understood and implemented these concepts, they should be encouraged to create and perform their own pieces of music.
In short, music lessons can inspire students to unleash their inner creativity and it can be incredibly satisfying for them to create their own music based on the musical theory knowledge they have acquired.