Some time has passed since my last post. I am going to attempt to do a better job of updating this blog on a more regular basis, as the idea of gamification has started to pique the interest of other educators. To build upon that excitement, I will continue to share our journey, in hopes that you too, will one day create an adventure of your own.
Before I overwhelm you, let me state, again, for the record, that there is no wrong way to gamify your classroom. Many people stop before they even start, thinking that it is too difficult, too time-consuming, too confusing, too much to do. So they Don't. Do. Anything. But what if I told you that anything you do, is more than you were doing before, which makes it that much better!
Think of gamifying your classroom as a continual process. Take it one step at a time. DON'T try to do everything at once, and MOST importantly, DON'T do this alone! Make sure that your students are a part of the creation and everyday running of your game. Have them come up with ideas, have them create the rules and consequences, the rewards and the challenges! Have them create avatars, levels, and classroom decorations! Have them become teammates and cohorts. SAY YES!!!! Encourage creativity and outside-the-box thinking! Not only will your game be that much more amazing, but you will also have built incredible bonds and relationships with your kids that you may not have been able to do before. They will feel a sense of pride, responsibility, and ownership in and of the classroom, which is something really quite extraordinary.
This year, we have started a Twitter account for the classroom so you can follow our adventure @QueenCarnduff. There are pictures and videos of the Kingdom and of my Questers. The next few posts I write here will cover different aspects of the Carnduffian Quest, in order to explain what the game is really about. Stay tuned!
Before I overwhelm you, let me state, again, for the record, that there is no wrong way to gamify your classroom. Many people stop before they even start, thinking that it is too difficult, too time-consuming, too confusing, too much to do. So they Don't. Do. Anything. But what if I told you that anything you do, is more than you were doing before, which makes it that much better!
Think of gamifying your classroom as a continual process. Take it one step at a time. DON'T try to do everything at once, and MOST importantly, DON'T do this alone! Make sure that your students are a part of the creation and everyday running of your game. Have them come up with ideas, have them create the rules and consequences, the rewards and the challenges! Have them create avatars, levels, and classroom decorations! Have them become teammates and cohorts. SAY YES!!!! Encourage creativity and outside-the-box thinking! Not only will your game be that much more amazing, but you will also have built incredible bonds and relationships with your kids that you may not have been able to do before. They will feel a sense of pride, responsibility, and ownership in and of the classroom, which is something really quite extraordinary.
This year, we have started a Twitter account for the classroom so you can follow our adventure @QueenCarnduff. There are pictures and videos of the Kingdom and of my Questers. The next few posts I write here will cover different aspects of the Carnduffian Quest, in order to explain what the game is really about. Stay tuned!