Connecting with your students using simple creative activities

Laura Vazquez
A group of children in a classroom, one is sat at a desk drawing a picture, another is smiling at the camera

“We are all creative, but by the time we are three or four years old, someone has knocked the creativity out of us. Some people shut up the kids who start to tell stories. Kids dance in their cribs, but someone will insist they sit still. By the time the creative people are ten or twelve, they want to be like everyone else.” — Maya Angelou.

We want our kids to excel in everything they do. This is partly down to the media, which has fostered the idea of celebrity kids and football leagues that encourage kids to become professional athletes at the age of eight or younger.

However, we have missed the most crucial thing in their education – and that is to build their character through everyday creative activities which encourage the formation of human connections.

Moving from kindergarten to elementary school

Consider how nervous a first grader must feel after leaving the safe kindergarten playground and entering a strange new 'grown-up' world. The playgrounds are bigger, the kids are older, they have to line up to buy their first meal at the school cafeteria. The classroom has changed too: the desks look different, the books are bigger, and there are new challenges too.

Some are thrilled to feel part of the older kids’ environment. Others, of course, are frightened and insecure. They have to understand and accept all the new rules and regulations, which now apply to them too.

High expectations from parents must be met

We also have moms, dads and caregivers worried for their little ones. They have high hopes for them. They want their children to become successful learners, multi-medal athletes, excellent readers, mathematicians or perhaps scientists…

Professor David Healy, director of the North Wales Department of Psychological Medicine, said:“We want kids to conform to ideals based often on parental insecurities and ambitions.”

Elementary school has therefore become something resembling a battlefield, where children must thrive in spite of (and not because of) their interests. Only top grades and excellence in everything will make parents proud.

But what if a child is not successful? What if their reading skills are below average? What if their daydreaming about a trip to the moon doesn’t allow them to concentrate?

Then we have two lists of kids, the thriving kids with excellent grades and the other ones.

So how can we take the pressure off and help all kids to thrive? Here are some simple creative activities to help.

Reaching out to your students with a simple hello

When did we forget that education is about promoting playfulness, imagination, and creativity to build up confidence?

My very first and most important recommendation would be this:

Before you start a class, give yourself a moment to say"Hello"to each individual in your class. Take that moment to make eye contact with every student and see how they are doing that day.

Make this an important part of your routine. Then have them do the same with their classmates. You could even introduce phrases such as:

  • "How was your day yesterday?"
  • "How are you feeling today?"
  • "What did you have for breakfast this morning?"
  • "I notice you look nice today!"

You can also try another creative activity. Ask your students to say good morning to the new day and think of something they are grateful for or someone they are grateful to. For example:

  • "Thank you mom, for my breakfast."
  • "I am grateful because all my classmates are here."
  • "Thank you moon, for your light every night."

These are just a few simple creative activities. But the most important thing to consider, if you want to introduce creativity in the classroom, is that every student needs to feel in a secure and welcoming environment, free of criticism or judgment of their ideas. If you achieve this in your classroom, you will be well on your way to exploring your students’ creativity and building new connections with them.

Read our blog post '5 team building activities to help break down boundaries' for more ideas.

References:

  • Under Pressure; Carl Honore
  • Mindfulness, para enseñar y aprender; Deborah Schoeberlein
  • Teach your children well; Madeline Levine Ph.D.

More blogs from ɫèAV

  • a teacher stood with two students sat a desk

    What’s it like to teach English in Spain?

    By Steffanie Zazulak
    Reading time: 2 minutes

    Tim Marsh has been teaching English since 1985 and has taught over 3,500 students, with ages ranging from six to 65. He is therefore well placed to describe teaching English as a “difficult and demanding” job, as well as to share the five lessons he’s learned during his impressive time in his career…

    1. Know your stuff

    “The Spanish expect paid professionals to know everything about their expertise but there are few teachers of the English language who do know everything. We should prepare lessons adequately when teaching aspects we’re not entirely confident about.

    Many CELTA tutors say that if you are asked a question that you cannot answer confidently, you shouldn’t panic but instead inform the student that you will check and give them the detailed answer at the following lesson. This may be useful when you first start out, but it shouldn’t happen frequently, as your honesty will not always be appreciated!”

    2. Expect the unexpected

    “Teaching English is very rewarding and can be full of surprises. As a result, it’s not a good idea to try to follow a rigid teaching plan. Write a plan that’s flexible enough to allow for a good dose of spontaneity to enter into proceedings. I can honestly say that not one single day is the same as another.

    If a Spaniard is not in the mood for working on a particular skill, as will happen from time to time, then be prepared to change that lesson at the drop of a hat. It’s always a good idea to keep four or five ‘favourite’ lessons filed within easy reach for just such occasions – preferably skills lessons that can be easily adapted to the theme that you are currently working on.

    Whatever you had planned for this week can always be done next week. The customer is always right and, when living in Spain, big lunches, high temperatures, Barcelona against Real Madrid and the after-match party can bring about very unexpected lessons!”

    3. Stick to what you’re being paid to do

    “The Spanish are extremely friendly people who love to talk and are happy to share – sometimes in great detail – the problems in their working and even private lives. In an effort to establish friendly relationships, they often create an intimacy: what is referred to in Spanish as ‘confianza’.

    This is much the same kind of trust and confidence that we have with our doctors or lawyers, so, unless you’re careful, you can find yourself doubling as teacher and therapist, which will alter the dynamic of the classroom.

    A teacher of English teaches English. Stick to what you know, stick to what you’re being paid to do and create a professional framework in which to do your best as a teacher and not as a therapist.”

    4. Do not offer guarantees

    “The busiest time of the year is often during the summer, when language schools begin to fill up as state-school exam results come in. Parents enroll their children on intensive or exam revision courses so that they can take their resits in September.

    English courses are often expensive and parents will expect a guarantee that their child will pass the school English exam at the end of the summer. Never offer a guarantee! There are usually a number of reasons why the child has failed in the first place and it is better to lose a client than to make promises you can’t keep.”

    5. Have a good pair of shoes

    “Many years ago, the famous soprano Rita Hunter was asked what she considered to be the most important requirement when singing opera. She answered, “A good pair of shoes.” She went on to say that when she was appearing in a Wagner opera that started at 5.30 pm and didn’t finish until 11 pm, the most important thing to look after was her feet.

    I’ve always tried to avoid institutions that insist on a uniform or on wearing a shirt and tie. Students often feel uncomfortable in a classroom where the teacher is formally dressed. I have always found the working environment much more relaxed when dressed in a similar way to my students. This and the fact that in Spain the temperature can hit the 30s in June and stay there into September mean that I dress casually, often in shorts. And I always wear a good pair of shoes.”

  • A woman with a backpack stood in a airport looking at one of the many boards

    Travelling to an English-speaking country? 6 simple things you need to know

    By Steffanie Zazulak
    Reading time: 2 minutes

    Regardless of where you’re travelling, it‘s definitely worth learning some basic English, and you won’t be alone: (20% of the world). Of course, if you’re visiting an English-speaking country like the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, it’s especially useful to brush up on your English.

    Here are six simple things you need to know when travelling to English-speaking countries:

  • A child and grandparent sat on a sofa together reading a book and smiling

    7 great technology books to help improve your English

    By Steffanie Zazulak
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    Technology is one of our favorite topics at the moment. This is because the use of technology can enrich the experiences of both learning and teaching English.

    Inspired by this, we set about putting together a list of the best technology and futuristic novels for English learners. Reading novels is one of the most fun and effective ways of improving your English language skills. It can expand your vocabulary and expose you to different sentence structures, as well as give you the chance enjoy some wonderful stories.

    E-readers and tablets make learning English even easier because if you don’t know a word, you can simply click on it to read its definition. On a Kindle, you can even add new words you’ve learned to its Vocabulary Builder feature. Others recommend listening to and reading text at the same time as an excellent way of enhancing the learning process. Kindle’s Whispersync for Voice is designed for just this purpose and includes audio with selected books, meaning you can listen and follow the text as you read.

    Here is our selection of seven great technology books to help improve your English:

    1. Spider-Man comic books

    Marvel’s superheroes are no strangers to technology and the comic book experts have recently released a set of comics concentrating on science, technology, engineering, art and maths. The combination of drawings and limited texts make these comic books the perfect place for English learners to start.

    2. Poptropica English Space Island Adventure

    ɫèAV English Kids Readers are stories that have been specially rewritten for English language learners aged 5-12. The great thing about using a book designed for children is that they can enjoy and learn at the appropriate level. Children's books also often have exciting plots and fun dialogue – and that is definitely the case with this story, from the Poptropica English universe, about Peter, Pepper and Captain Cloud meeting aliens on their tour around Space Island.

    Many of you will be familiar with the major movie starring Will Smith, but I, Robot actually started off as a collection of nine short stories by Issac Asimov. Written in the 1940s and 1950s, they tell a tale of humans, robots and morality. Each of the short stories can be read separately and they contain simple, descriptive language, making them perfect for English learners.

    Regarded as one of the greatest science-fiction/technology novels written in the English language, Brave New World anticipates advancements in technology that combine to affect society. Author Aldous Huxley’s unique writing style combines narrative and descriptive language, resulting in a witty and engaging read. You’ll want to keep learning and reading to find out what happens next.

    This clever novel, written by Douglas Coupland, tells its story through the use of letters and diary entries. Originally a short story, it was expanded to a full-length novel that follows the adventures of six code-crunching computer whizzes, seen through the eyes of one of the characters, Daniel. The diary entries are written in a straightforward and entertaining style, making it a fast-paced read.

    This novel explores the wonders of the universe, but the underlying theme contemplates the repercussions of powerful machines for humanity in the past, present and future. The content of the story is rich and it often feels like you are listening to a great aunt or uncle telling stories. Better still is the fact that the technology written about in the book is not described in confusing language – in fact, anyone can understand it, making it perfect for those wishing to expand their English vocabulary.

    When a powerful computer virus called Snow Crash gets loose and somehow starts infecting humans, computer hacker Hiro teams up with a sassy skateboard messenger to save both the real world and cyberspace. The characters are quirky, as is the writing style. But it is well thought out and means you can really get to know the characters. You’ll need to concentrate closely on the plot – but the slower pace will give you time to look up any English words you’re not sure of.