Making Schoolwork Fun

One of the most useful methods to lesson mastery may perhaps be the shortening of lessons.  Smaller bits are more readily reviewed by an inattentive generation.  They are more easily grasped and less easily forgotten.  A lengthy lesson may not even be read, much less remembered.

Instead of information meals, schools should be serving on-the-go snacks.  Instead of a tome of work to be done by semester's end, we need to give a single fact or small family of facts to be learned in a day or two.

Upon mastery of a list of facts, students should receive a reward. The reward may be an intangible item such as extra recess, being excused from a night of homework, extra computer time, or it may be tangible things such as an eraser, a book, art supplies, a key ring, or some other small recognition. Positive reinforcement is powerful. When we wield it we will achieve success more easily.

Ever have a song that you just can't get out of your head? Put what you want to remember into such a song, and you have an instantly memorized principle. The famous series Schoolhouse Rock used this idea, as have others who work in education.  The first way most of us learn our ABC's is in a song.  Musical learning doesn't have to end in kindergarten!

Video games that include basic info on science and math have been very readily received. Such games must be engaging and well written. One such series by Broderbund, the Zoombinis, is particularly well liked by youngsters, and the highest level would challenge even a brainy adult. Another good science game by Edmark, ZAP! will have them building circuits and exploring the invisible world of sound technology.

Repeat a phrase such as this one while speaking with a beat: The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second.  Any four year old can learn to repeat it, even if he or she doesn't yet know what it means.  The colors of the rainbow, the speed of sound, the facts about photosynthesis, and many more ideas can be very easily memorized by repeating them as a jingle on a daily basis until they become lodged in the youngster's memory.  Make sure to sound upbeat and positive.  You can even offer incentives for those who learn the most jingles and recite them.

Commercials do it.  A beautiful actress or a well spoken actor enthusiastically praises the newest discovery.  They urge us to try it, and promise we'll love it.  While I would not recommend promising kids that they will love math or science, if we exhibit some enthusiasm for the subject or show a little excitement for the things we talk about, it can be contagious.  They may end up assimilating our attitude.  (It works the other way, too.  If you hate it they will know.  Kids are very astute.)