Thursday, April 21, 2011

Classroom Games Intro

Hello,
                My name is Wintermute and this is Dumbr, an account of my life and times teaching English as a second language in South Korea. Over the past couple months I have talked about South Korea, Teaching Contracts, common classroom occurrences and discipline tactics. Today I would like to start a new segment, Classroom Games.

                One of the hardest things to do is make class fun, new, and refreshing every day. Parents want class to be fun because it looks like a good learning environment. Managers want class to be fun because they don’t want to send off the impression that English is boring. You want your class to be fun so it doesn’t get dull and boring for you and your students. But the most important factor will always be your students, who also want class to be fun for obvious reasons.

                I think a lot of teachers get this idea that if they play games all day they are not learning. This can of course be true depending on how often you play and what kind of games you play. But understand this, playing fun educational games with the students can show them more practical uses for what you have taught them; it lets them see how they can use their new found knowledge. This week we will cover:

1.       Board Games –Quick, on your feet games that can be played with any size class on the classroom marker board. (Marker board on the wall by the way, not table top in a box board games)
2.       Gym Games – There are games out there other than Duck Duck Goose.
3.       Music Games – Hate singing like me, than have some fun instead.
4.       Word Games – Making students speak while learning a new language? Absurd!
5.       Computer Games – They are Korean After all.

               By the way, a little where am I now? I will be moving back to South Korea next week and I’ll do my best to keep you updated. I will do everything in my limited power to take pictures of my flight trip and arrival, but I’m not much of a picture taker, and not at all a picture uploader. Thank you all for your amazing support, be sure to share this blog with everyone, facebook it, blog it, twitter it. Bring your Questions, and I will see you in class tomorrow!

Your Teacher,
Wintermute

29 comments:

  1. Board games are always fun, so are gym games. Good luck on your move to south korea!

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  2. You mentioned nice ways to have fun.

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  3. Great blog man! Keep up the good work!

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  4. absolutely love your blog! I wish you the best of luck with teaching, and I look forward to reading more. Following!

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  5. My favourite board game is Scrabble, or Monopoly. I definitely enjoy Scrabble more though.
    Profusely

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  6. I knew someone who actually taught English in Korea as well, it sounds like a fun gig!

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  7. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  8. brilliant ideas I might try board games

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  9. Good tips. I could agree with board and music games to be much fun.

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  10. alright cool, for some reason i thought you were blogging from south korea

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  11. I was never a fan of games in classes, atleast in high school I wasnt.

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  12. I prefer board games:)

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  13. Thanks for keeping us up to date Winter :)

    Mike.

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  14. Board and Gym games are definitely my favorites. I wish more teachers thought the way you do.

    +1 following~~

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  15. My mom is a 3rd grade teacher and she is a big proponent for games in the classroom. It really really helps.

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  16. Did you start answering your phoneyoboseyo yet? Love the blog will be back!

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  17. Great ways to incorporate fun to the classroom :D. Can't wait to see some pictures!

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  18. Play Army - Navy with them if you can.

    I always remember having a blast in my elementary days playing that.

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  19. @splattercore, no I did not and I laughed at every foreigner who did.

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