I've been thinking a lot recently about boredom, novelty, and student engagement. How can we balance the potential that comes from boredom with the spark and energy that novelty can provide? How can we maximize student engagement without becoming, as the teachers, totally responsible for it?
The energy in our classroom lately has been unsettled. Agitated. I heard the snippiness in our voices; saw the scattered, abandoned materials; felt the tension and unease in our interactions. We seemed, to me, a pretty cranky bunch. And one common thread I kept noticing was how little engagement appeared to be happening, both between the children and the materials and the children with each other.
When I provided a totally teacher-directed activity, such as a whole group read aloud or game, I noticed that the students were overall attentive and interested. But when left to choose their own learning, which was the bulk of the day, I saw the students arguing, testing limits, and becoming silly to the point of totally losing control. I recommitted to holding firm on limits and the expectations determined by the group, which seemed to help a bit. Then, in a burst of....well, let's not call it "desperation." How about "inspiration?" Yes. In a burst of inspiration, I decided to trade out about 3/4 of our materials for new items. I also switched around some furniture and added new dramatic play props. Some of those choices had clear intentions and purposes, but many did not. I simply offered them to mix it up, offer something sheerly for the novelty of it.
Lo and behold, it was as if I had my old class back! My class of cheerful, innovative, deeply curious students. All because, it seems, of some "new stuff." Would their learning have been richer, more meaningful, if I'd let them grapple with this rough patch without "new stuff" saving the day? Or does the ensuing peace and productivity better serve the students and their learning?
How do you determine when to update materials? How do you view the roles of boredom and novelty in your classroom?
The energy in our classroom lately has been unsettled. Agitated. I heard the snippiness in our voices; saw the scattered, abandoned materials; felt the tension and unease in our interactions. We seemed, to me, a pretty cranky bunch. And one common thread I kept noticing was how little engagement appeared to be happening, both between the children and the materials and the children with each other.
When I provided a totally teacher-directed activity, such as a whole group read aloud or game, I noticed that the students were overall attentive and interested. But when left to choose their own learning, which was the bulk of the day, I saw the students arguing, testing limits, and becoming silly to the point of totally losing control. I recommitted to holding firm on limits and the expectations determined by the group, which seemed to help a bit. Then, in a burst of....well, let's not call it "desperation." How about "inspiration?" Yes. In a burst of inspiration, I decided to trade out about 3/4 of our materials for new items. I also switched around some furniture and added new dramatic play props. Some of those choices had clear intentions and purposes, but many did not. I simply offered them to mix it up, offer something sheerly for the novelty of it.
Lo and behold, it was as if I had my old class back! My class of cheerful, innovative, deeply curious students. All because, it seems, of some "new stuff." Would their learning have been richer, more meaningful, if I'd let them grapple with this rough patch without "new stuff" saving the day? Or does the ensuing peace and productivity better serve the students and their learning?
How do you determine when to update materials? How do you view the roles of boredom and novelty in your classroom?
