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I don’t know about you, but some class periods
are pure torture as I try to actively engage my students only to
be met by blank, solemn and yes, even bored stares. Ouch! Here I
have prepared what I thought was a stellar performance and the audience
is clearly indicating they would rather undergo acupuncture by a
two-year-old. Alas, I have learned not to take this personally.
While, my research and lecture information may at times be as interesting,
as say watching mold grow on cheese, for the most part it is stimulating
and relevant and the soporific effect is usually due to circumstances
beyond my control.
Working with the community college population teaches
one a lot about life. First and foremost the students have incredibly
busy and sometimes complicated lives. It is the late nights working
or tending to children that tend to keep our students drowsy not
the lectures. Many times, our classes offer the first opportunity
of the day to sit down and relax. Their bodies say “phew”
and before you know it they are nodding off as they listen to the
lullaby of our voices.
The key then is to turn the lullaby off, find a
new channel, and mix it up. The following are short activities that
can be interjected into any lecture at any time. I call them energizers
- short, quick activities that offer the students a chance to talk
and learn the information on their own without me spoon feeding
it to them.
Energizer #1 - Newspaper Analysis
Copy a newspaper article that somehow deals with your class material.
Pass it out and have the students form their own groups of 4-6.
The students are then instructed to summarize and analyze the
article and explain in one sentence how it ties into this week’s
chapter reading.
Time: Allow 5-7 minutes for the whole process.
Energizer #2 - Word Scramble
Make a list of 10-15 words key to your current chapter. Scramble
the letters and voila you have a simple brainteaser. Form teams
and the first team to unscramble and define or sequence all the
terms wins candy. (Oh, you say, this is not elementary school,
surely we do not have to stoop to handing out rewards. To this,
I say, hey, whatever works! And besides, don’t you like
getting treats every now and
then?) Seriously, I found the competition
in the long run encourages academic success.
Time: Allow 5-15 minutes depending on the complexity
of the list.
Energizer #3- Brainstorm the Hypothetical
Write a short case study or hypothetical situation pertaining
to your unit of study. Have students in groups of 4-6 read it
and then answer some key questions based purely on their own knowledge,
life experience, and common sense. After each group has completed
the assigned work, ask for feedback and put the answers on the
board. The feedback provides some valid information to work off
of as well as fallacies, stereotypes, and preconceived notions
to contradict. This method works well at the beginning of a class
period as an introduction but works equally well in the middle
as a transition to a new topic.
Time: Allow 5-10 minutes
Energizer #4- Stop, Stretch and Move
If the energy level is really low, don’t be afraid to just
stop your lecture for a few minutes. Surprise the students by
asking them to put down their pens, stand up, and stretch. Have
fun with it - do a few jumping jacks, big arm circles, and shoulder
rolls. They will probably laugh at you but in the meantime, you
have stimulated their blood flow and increased their state of
alertness.
Time: Allow 1-3 minutes
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