Assistant teacher program/Developing countries/Class council and educational games

Class council and educational games

A class council can be introduced as an educational game and it can be enhanced with social games. A playful approach may help the pupils to see the possibly unusual activity as in their own interest and as relevant to their lives. The necessary activities for a class council can be learned in a game council.

The game council

An assistant teacher can invite a group of pupils during a break to form a circle and to decide on games they want to play.

The assistant teacher should be prepared to teach the group at least one new game (if possible) or to play a choice of known games. The game council has to decide whether to learn a new game or to play a known game. The council can also try to tie in minorities by offering compromises and concessions or by ordering the minority to join in before the game is chosen. A game council can also aim to discourage misconduct and contravention and impose penalties in case of misconduct or contravention.

The assistant teacher should assume the role of advisor to the speaker but make the council select a speaker. The role of the speaker can follow a ceremony, so the speaker has to follow expected behavior and the other pupils can object if the ceremony isn't followed. The game council can vote each time if the speaker should be chosen randomly or by vote. This vote may appear unnecessary but allows the pupils to train behavior and to consider their choices. If other roles are required the other pupils should be chosen the same way. The assistant teacher should feel free to reject pupils who are chosen frequently and encourage to choose pupils who are chosen less often (but not to the extend of forcing the group to make a choice; if that appears desirable the assistant teacher can ask the group to vote if he should choose the speaker).

References

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