In my 12th year of teaching, I jumped from high school English to Elementary education. I am in love with my work at Echo Horizon School, and thrive on playful learning.
When a Sphero robot engaged students' empathy about Depression-era migrants, one teacher realized how using technology can help open young minds to abstract concepts.
Puppet-based learning teaches students design thinking, growth mindset, writing, how to work in sharable media, and how to approach learning without fear. Plus, it's fun!
For successful gamification, build the excitement, use the data you collect, make the game fun for all students, and never underestimate the value of play.
When introducing younger students to robots, the high-engagement nature of these tools can add a social-emotional layer to the more obvious learning goals.
