An engaging approach involves students being asked to choose who they wish to represent in an event, which has a title like ‘Night of the Notables’ or ‘Amazing Achievers.’
These events are invariably great fun, and also engaging learning experiences. This article outlines the way one of these events has been organized, as an example of virtual and experiential learning all rolled into one.
Stage 1 – A teacher, in consultation with colleagues, agrees to coordinate an Amazing People Event.
Stage 2 – A date is fixed, and students are informed they will have the opportunity to take on the role of an amazing person. For younger students, it is often better to have a suggested list. For older students they can put forward their own choices to be approved, as the person must be a person of character.
Stage 3 – A note is sent to parents outlining the event, and to gain their support. It is explained their child should indicate the person they represent, which can be done via a form of dress or a book or other symbol.
Stage 4 – Prior to the event, each student is given time to research the achievements of the person they choose, so they can answer questions about their life.
Stage 5 – A rehearsal group discussion is arranged by the teacher. Each group will have three or four students in it. Each student is allocated up to five minutes to answer questions from the students in their group on the achievements of the person they have chosen.
Stage 6 – The teacher asks the students what they need to do in order to become the person they have chosen on the day of the event. Some students will say they need to gather more information. Others may have concerns on what to wear, albeit there is no need to wear special clothes.
Stage 7 – On the day of the event, students will have the opportunity to meet with a different group than in Stage 5. The aim of the students in each group is to ask questions in order to discover who the student is representing. Invariably, there is a lot of noise and laughter in each of the groups.
Stage 8 – Each student is asked to write a brief interview with the person they represented. For example, the questions can be factual, such as: ‘when were you born?’ or ‘what did you do to become famous?’ Also, students can be encouraged to ask questions that foster creative answers such as: ‘what did you like and dislike about the work you did?’
Stage 9 – After the students have written about the amazing person they represented, they should be asked to write between 100 and 500 words on the question: ‘what did I learn about myself as a result of taking on the role of the amazing person?’
Stage 10 – The teachers involved should meet after the event to discuss what they learned, and agree the follow up steps required, inclusive of letting the parents know the outcomes.