By Christin Cooper
Candyland. Connect Four. Go Fish. Thinking of these games immediately transports me back to some of the best memories of my childhood. In my mind’s eye, I can see the colorful game boards; in my mind’s ear, I can hear the silly giggles; my heart is filled with the joy of connecting with my friends and family members even years later.
Research shows that our brains better retain memories when they are associated with strong emotions. As a form of memory, in order for learning to really “stick”, we must include elements of repetition and positive reinforcement. If we as teachers can find ways to interweave positive emotions into our classroom activities, we will reap the rewards of improved information retention and enjoyment. Furthermore, cooperative games also encourage the formation of healthy social bonds among classmates. This is why games are an integral part of our group lesson program. After all, as Maria Montessori said, “play is the work of childhood.” Students hardly realize they are learning because they are having so much fun!
Here’s 5.
At Kathy’s Music, we use cooperative games as part of musical learning in group classes for a variety of reasons. Here are 5 compelling reasons to consider:
- Cooperative games increase mastery of content and reduce the need for classroom management, as well as discipline challenges.
- Cooperative games increase pro-social skills including sharing and kindness, while also reducing aggression.
- Cooperatives games are inclusive promoting a “sense of belonging,” which can result in increased academic achievement.
- Cooperative games develop problem-solving skills while producing positive emotions making it easier to retain knowledge.
- Cooperative games build empathy for others helping to create a cohesive group that learns to meet each other’s needs.
See this article for the research and references.
Three Games Our Students Love.
Studio Keys: Group Piano
Students in our group piano classes have enjoyed playing games with our song mascot “Charlie Chipmunk”. They’ve also decorated their pianos to reinforce keyboard geography in a way that transforms their instruments into colorful rainbows!
Studio Singers: Group Voice
Our Studio Singers use beanbags to turn the melodies they hear into colorful, tangible images. This is a foundational step in the journey of learning to notate music on the staff.
Studio Strings: Group Violin
Go fish! This game is a fun way to practice making a violin bow hold while building strength in the thumb and pinky and flexibility in the wrist. We attach a string with a small magnet to the end of the bow and then scatter fish with a small magnet in them on the floor. Each student makes their best bow hold and then picks up a fish with the bow. Once they catch a fish, we double-check the bow hand and make any corrections that we may need before going fishing again.
These are just a few of the games we are use in our Group Lesson Suite, which also includes Studio Ukes and Studio Band classes. Oftentimes, the children will be inspired to create their own games creating opportunities for leadership, listening, confidence, and negotiation. In much the same way that “Family Game Night” has become a ritual that family members look forward to, cooperative games in group classes provide another reason why students look forward to being in class with a group of people where they feel a sense of belonging. That’s the kind of learning environment we want for all of our students!