There are often “board games” built into the curriculum at the English school where I work. However, there are no dice or game pieces at the school, so I usually end up finding magnets, paper clips, erasers, or other random bits, in order to make the games playable. I don’t like it, but the kids like the games.
So, I made some game pieces and dice so i don’t have to scramble for something to use. I wish I had a photo of what I’ve been using…I think the cubes I’ve been using were dice at some point, but it looks like someone was gnawing on them. I made enough for both classrooms, in case another instructor also wants to use the games.
They are made from 2.5 mm mdf and colored with acrylic paint pens. I learned that I need to buy new pens. I’m missing 3 and multiple were empty. I probably should stop bringing my own supplies to school.
My next goal is to make a more interesting board game that can be adapted to different lessons. Just need more time to think on it. I’m thinking something like candyland or chutes and ladders… something more interesting than what is in the book.
I just realized too that my box of board games never made it to japan. I have no idea where they are. I had a really nice scrabble set, ticket to ride, connect 4…all gone. I wonder where they went.
Very cool. I have often had a need for game pieces or figures for D&D games, but I typically end up using Lego minifigs. I was a Lego Dimensions player/collector on PS4, so I have hundreds. But this would be a quick and easy fix for that as well. And personalization is an option this way.
Since it was late at night, I forgot I wanted to add more detail until I started painting them and realized none of them were wearing the hats I was thinking to put on them.
If I take Legos to school, there is a chance I will never see them again. I made these for everyone to use and I’ve got a couple kids who might eat them, and a substitute teacher who might walk away with them.
I taught a lego robotics class to middle schoolers (maybe 4-7 grade) a few years back. I had about 30 students. I think there were about 5 kids in there I spent way too much time telling them to take pieces out of their mouth or to get out from under the table.
I’m sure those game pieces will be a huge success! Maybe you could personalize them with the students’ names - then maybe they would take more care not to lose/take them, and the other teacher wouldn’t walk off with them either. They look easy enough that you could make more when you have new students. The little people are adorable! And I wouldn’t use LEGO, you’d lose those for sure. I think it’s awesome that you’re thinking of new/better ways to help your students learn.
Actually, public schools here are really nice and well equipt. It seems to me that the community members really make sure local kids are provided for. The elderly even volunteer as crossing guards every morning and afternoon and they send out notices for residents to come out and greet kids while they walk to school.
Also, when you start school, they charge a supply fee that they bill monthly for a few months, usually rolled in to the school lunch fee (all fees are waived automatically if your tax info at the city office shows you didn’t make alot). With this fee, every single child gets all the new school supplies and textbooks they need for the year. I didn’t have to buy pencils, pens, folders, erasers, or anything. I thought that was the best, because it was cheaper than the supplies I had to buy for my kids classrooms in the states.
I work specifically at an English school in Tokyo, not a public school; and while they have supplies, they just aren’t up to my standards. Even when I taught in the US, I brought my own supplies to every class. Today I floated the idea of writing our own textbooks because I really don’t like the ones we use.
It’s just a money grab from a western textbook company. They told the school owner she needed to buy 5th edition textbooks because they won’t print 4th edition after this year. She was concerned because they don’t have CDs and flashcards for the new books. After I opened up and compared the books, there was absolutely no difference. Every page is identical, they only changed the cover art by shrinking it. But the new book, they charged a significantly higher price for them compared to the still available 4th edition.
I checked this out while on the train, but then i got distracted during my rush hour commute crush. I think making lego shaped figures would be super cute… but the some of my students would definitely get distracted. I’d have to make game day pieces for special events.
I’ve been thinking about doing a Harry Potter style Hogwarts House reward system for my classes…because I have some trouble students on Wednesday who might be motivated to behave if I did something like that…ok… just one troubled student… his parents use the class as a babysitting service and it’s becoming a problem for the other kids in the class.
my vote for quote of the week.
