While looking for interesting ways to introduce the "Regional Cultures in the U.S." class to my new set of students, the show "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" came to mind. I remember knowing absolutely nothing about how the show worked beyond the fact that toward the end of the episode, one contestant got to run around a large map, place poles on countries, and waited for an affirmative buzz before moving on. But after watching a bit of the final episode, I realized that there's a lot to learn about good pedagogy from the show.
Lessons to learn from "WWCS:"
1) Make learning interactive: From engaging the main players to audience members, everyone must play a part in the learning experience
2) Use themed-learning: Refer to the students as a specific name that goes along with the classroom theme (i.e. "gumshoes"), and relate everything to that theme to build on the students' knowledge and make learning fun
3) Embrace your showboating personality: Most Vietnamese students seem to love dramatic actions and unexpected humor. Don't be afraid to be silly.
4) Keep it movin': Keep a big smile on your face, and keep going with it, even if the students don't laugh on cue.
5) Bring music and movement in: Include random dance days and songs that get your head swaying to the beats and spinning from the fact-filled lyrics.
I've definitely pumped to use these learnings to contribute to a positive learning environment. The next challenge to tackle is building a curriculum on a course that you have minimal background information on.
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