The term "Edutainment" offends me. Passion and enthusiasm don't!

Recently there seems to be a debate on appropriate ways to teach kids in ESL classrooms. With only a small amount of time with each child, I can understand why some would want to plan and focus entirely on increasing Student Talk Time or repetition in the classroom. I can also understand the reasoning behind wanting to "edu-tain" to keep kids interested in class and not plan as much. 

Passion and enthusiasm is more important than content

What both sides seem to miss however, is that a Passion for teaching and an Enthusiasm for learning is more important than the content of your class or lesson plan. 

I've worked in training centres, kindergartens, done online lessons, and one-on-one tutoring and, time and again, the teachers with the best students are the ones who genuinely love to be in the classroom with their kids, no matter what the content of their class is.

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How can you expect students to be passionate if you aren't?

Students, and people in general, mirror their teachers. I personally love doing worksheets, and so every time I pull out any materials for my class, be it worksheets or my iPad, my kids are excited to start. If this doesn't happen in your class, ask yourself why. How do you feel about worksheets? How do you feel about spelling tests or drilling? 

Then ask yourself why, if you groan when you think abut doing a particular lesson, you expect your students to be happy or excited or engaged with them. 

Examine your own excitement levels as a TEFL teacher

This is the same for everything you do in your class, from greeting the kids (How do you say hello? Are you weary and tired or pumped and full of enthusiasm to start the class and teach your kids something that could potentially change their lives?) to saying goodbye, and everything in between. If your kids aren't excited and engaged in an activity, first look at your own excitement and engagement levels.

The term "Edutainment" offends me 

"Edutainment" as a derogatory term is also something that puzzles and offends me. The brain works best when engaged and excited. This is scientific fact. If your class isn't entertaining, then you are doing it wrong, no matter your lesson plan or materials. Worksheets or tests can be entertaining, and sticky balls or fly swatters can be boring, it all depends on how they are used and how enthusiastic the teacher is. 

Give the students a reason to pay attention to you

In today's age of smartphones, cartoons, addictive apps and distractions, we as teachers are battling for the attention of our students more and more. If we aren't entertaining and engaging our kids, what chance do they have of actually learning anything we teach them? You need to give them a reason to pay attention to you, otherwise they will just be daydreaming about the latest 'ultraman' toy or getting home to play on their iPad.

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You don't need to stick to your lesson plan

Planned classes are great, but sticking to your plan at the expense of a good teachable moment or a bored class is not. Winging it and thinking on your feet is also great, but just randomly playing a game with your kids that you have no enthusiasm for is not. 

Again, Passion and Enthusiasm are the most important. The exact same lesson with the exact same materials is taught in very different ways by a teacher who is enthusiastic and excited to teach and one who is just putting in the hours.

Go deeper for passion and enthusiasm

This is a great thing, as both Enthusiasm and Passion can be learned. Passion and interest in something is learned by going deeper. Ask yourself some questions and learn more about a subject (Some suggestions: How does the brain retain information? What is gamification and how does it work in the classroom? What are two new games I can try this month?) and you will find yourself getting more and more interested and passionate about teaching it. 

Enthusiasm is even easier. The old "fake it till you make it" adage works particularly well, as when you fake enthusiasm you actually become more enthusiastic! Try it for yourself. 

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Get out of being sluggish!

Next time you are tired or don't want to get to your class, as soon as you walk in have some upbeat music playing and give your class high fives, say hello with a big smile, or have everyone get super loud and happy. You will feel yourself getting more enthusiastic by the second. 

If you are still having trouble, I've found music is the best way for many people to change their state. Listen to a song that gets you pumped up before class or even start your class with it. I doubt even the most unmotivated teacher could stay sluggish after a minute of jamming out to their favourite tune.

Different TEFL teachers. Different styles.

There are many ways to be a teacher, many different styles, materials, and ideas about the how the best class should be taught. But a better question to ask is why should this class be taught in the first place? Even if you don't really care and are working for money (we all know who you are, and you are most likely not reading this article), being more enthusiastic about your class and your life will make it better. 

Finding the right balance

Who wants to have a large part of their day be boring and uninteresting? Same goes for those teachers who work hard and plan late into the night. Great, you've got an entire lesson perfectly planned with every activity having the potential to change your students' lives. That's amazing! Now, how are you going to deliver it? Will your class be filled with Passion and Enthusiasm? Or have you put so much time into the planning that you have no energy left for the actual class? In a perfect world it is both of course, but in the real world it requires balance.

Passion for learning

Next time you are planning your class, don't think so much about what materials or games you will use, but instead about how you can fill your class with a Passion for learning and an Enthusiasm for whatever the day's content is.

Passion and Enthusiasm will make any class better, and might even make your own life better along the way.

by Jared Simpson

Jared is from Canada and lives and works in Chongqing, China. He enjoys exploring, photography, finding new places to eat and talking to others about their viewpoints on life. He has been living in China since 2014 and has come to love his adopted homeland. He has just opened his own YouTube channel called 'The Teacher Abroad'...check it out!

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