The Secret Lives of Students: Tips From a 10-Year-Old on How to Be a Better Teacher

Webber J. Charles / Breakthrough Miami

Allison Chan, 10, says her ideal teachers would always use games in class to help students learn.

For today’s installment in our series, The Secret Lives of Students, we hear how one student would improve class learning. 

Editor’s note: This post was written by elementary school student Allison Chan.

By Allison Chan, 10

I would make the teachers at least everyday do different activities that are the lessons that you would learn in class but in an un-boring  way to let the kids have fun. Like, Jeopardy, Hot Potato etc.

TO REVIEW LESSONS

Jeopardy is an educational game that can review the terms that your students have learned in your class. You should do this game around 30 minutes or 40 minutes till class ends. You can start by putting different categories that you have teaches during that class. Then you would put different questions about each category. And DONE!!

TO IMPROVE VOCABULARY

Hangman is another game that can improve your student’s vocabulary. First you should do this like on Thursdays because every Friday there will be a test on vocabulary so you should review it. Second, do a mix of the vocabulary words and don’t let the students look into their notes. Finally, let it be interesting for them. So it won’t make them fall asleep. And DONE!!

TO REVIEW SOCIAL STUDIES

Name that… is a game that will improve what your students have learned in class for social studies. This mostly applies for “the Holocaust” lesson. Why? Because Name that can be like Name that camp. Which are the camps that were in the Holocaust. First you would go to “ Microsoft PowerPoint” and put the template to anything then make your own Name that…

When a GOOD teacher wants the students to have good grades, they actually try to do some kind of activities that are educational like the ones above but fun also. This way, at least the students are not bored. For the teachers, they can cover their lesson and have fun too!

Webber J. Charles / Breakthrough Miami

Allison Chan, 10, with Breakthrough Miami teacher Intern Cai Thomas, a student at Boston College.

In conclusion my imaginary school would want to at least let the students have a bit of fun while learning in class with some of my examples that are the following:

• Jeopardy
• Hot Potato
• Hangman
• Name that…

These are fun and interactive educational games that you and your students can use to review something or even teach something.

Chan is a student at Coral Way K-8 Center. During the summer school program with Breakthrough Miami, she attends the Miami Country Day school campus.

All month we’ll hear from students about life in Florida schools. They’ll open up about conflicting home and school rules on fighting, being hungry at school, feeling left out of academic programs, and other aspects of school life.