The best way to make education a fun experience is to introduce the wonder of the concepts to the students. I have been an intermediate level teacher for the past eleven years, and I have never met a child who doesn't respond to a teacher that is amazed about what she is teaching. I have developed a reputation over the years for being a "great" teacher. This label makes me very uncomfortable because I don't believe I'm "great," but I do believe I'm "fun." I don't know if it's because I have ADHD myself, or if it is because I get bored easily, but if I don't make my lessons interesting and entertaining, even I wish class was over before it started.

Here's an example of the way I approach my lessons when teaching science. The functions and intricate design of the human body have always fascinated me. I love to read articles, watch documentary programs on medical breakthroughs, and experience live surgeries and medical interventions. When I teach the subject of human anatomy in class, the excitement that I experience about the material easily transfers to my students. Not only do they approach the subject with enthusiasm, but they are open to learning and exploring the concepts. I cover a unit on sound energy in my fourth grade curriculum, and it is a very good example of what I am talking about here. If you look into the anatomy of the human ear and discover how each little bone and hair contained in the ear work together to deliver sound waves to your brain, it's hard to deny the existence of God. When you think of how instantaneous the interpretation of sound is, it's hard to imagine the speed at which sound travels. And, if you take your sense of hearing for granted, it's an eye opening experience (no pun intended) to discover what would be missing in your life if this sense was damaged, or not there at all. I challenge my students to plug up their ears as I continue to speak softly, as I play their favorite radio station on a very low volume, and as I react to an imaginary fire alarm. They are amazed at how the absence of this one sense affects their life, and with this amazement comes a curious enthusiasm to learn and explore more about the subject. Before you know it, we are having fun and the students can't wait for tomorrow's class.

I also believe that you have to incorporate as many hands-on experiences as possible when teaching. It's one thing to read about the concept of sound waves traveling through various states of matter, but it's AWESOME to experience sound waves traveling through things like a wall, a swimming pool, and your desk. It never fails that the students test sound travel through these materials and immediately begin to think about ways they can test other materials. They begin to wonder how far they can take this experience and through that thought process, they begin to think critically and apply the knowledge that they are gathering. They are excited because they are having fun, and because they are having fun, they are unafraid to take risks.

Do these teaching strategies make me a "great" teacher? No. Do they make me an exceptional teacher? No. What they do make me is a teacher who loves learning and who strives to instill that in her students. If a child learns to appreciate the sheer wonder of the earth around them, if they become intrigued by the way things in the universe function, and if they have fun while learning, teaching is a natural response to the level of curiosity that they will develop. I am merely a facilitator who's job it is to spark a child's imagination.

Learn more about this author, Debbie Shumaker.
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