Now, imagine something you wanted to learn. Did you feel the same anxiety and exhaustion? Or did you dive right in, exceed your expectations, and retain the information you were looking for?
When learning can (and should) be differentiated and fun, children are more likely to get more out of it, retain information, and practice new skills.
I don't expect you to just take my word for it, so let's consult Louis Deslauriers. He is the Director of Science Teaching and Learning and Senior Instructor in Physics at Harvard University. He and his colleagues have conducted multiple studies comparing the effectiveness of lectures and active learning strategies. Surveys showed that students who took the classes felt they learned more from the lectures, but tests revealed that they learned more from the active learning lessons.
Why do you think that is? I have a theory! Active learning classes were a lot of fun and didn't feel like work. It didn't feel like a chore or an obligation. Lectures felt like school, and our society has developed a linear view of what learning should look and feel like. But the reality is, active engagement has been a more effective teaching technique.
If Deslauriers and his colleagues could make physics (not my idea of fun) fun and engaging, what else could be fun to teach?
Start with sight words. Of course, you can train your kids thoroughly with meaningless flash cards. It can be fun, too. In my house, I put the flash cards on the floor and stand behind my kids with a flyswatter. I shout out the sight word and they swat it with all their might. English is a complex language to learn, and sometimes you just need to let out your frustration on the silent “k” and give them a good swat.
What about high school, where most of us have to focus our efforts on preparing for adulthood? Is there a way to make learning history fun? Of course there is. When I was a student, I spent years memorizing battle dates and military names. Oh. Re-enact World War II. Cook and eat meals for an entire month using only rationed ingredients and portions. Visit battlefields, museums, and warships for an immersive history experience. Attend lectures by remaining World War II veterans and Holocaust survivors and hear their first-hand accounts of history. Unfortunately, those first-hand accounts won't be around for much longer, but their oral histories live on as many accounts have been recorded for posterity. History can and should be an emotional experience.