From Counting Minutes to Hooray: My Secret Recipe to a Gamified Classroom

Win-Win Game
Besides satisfying students’ needs, games have many positive impacts on teachers too. I learned that when I was voted the students’ favorite teacher of the year at my school. It is not hard to be the students’ favorite, but it is hard to hold it throughout the year. Once I enter the classroom, my students are like popcorn jumping around me in a circle and asking to play a game. They excitedly shout "Hooray" if I announce a game or write it under the activities part on the whiteboard. They are always motivated and engaged while playing and learning new things. They even take photos of the leaderboard with their names on to show it to their parents at home. They feel proud of themselves. 

What are students’ most favorite games?
Most of my students prefer individualized digital games like Blooket, Quizziz, Kahoot, and Bamboozle. However, I noticed that they are very interested and deeply engaged in classroom quests and team challenges. They love to work together to solve a problem or accomplish a task before other teams to receive points, bonus, or just to be named “First.” I enjoy their healthy noise while working together in groups of four or five to compete against each other. They often resist any disruptions, especially when there is a timer displayed on the board. It makes them on their toes. 

How do I choose a game?
I often gamify the warm-up or the wrap-up part of the lesson since these are the most passive parts where students' involvement decreases. I follow a variety of approaches. I pick games that are relevant to the lesson objectives, age- and level-appropriate for my students, and mindful of the cultural and social context. While I often choose the games, I also make sure to involve my students in the choice. For example, if we finish a lesson early and have time for wrap-up, I ask them to vote on whether to play Quizziz, Kahoot, or Blooket. I also follow their preferences on the theme of the game and the features included. After all, if the purpose is to make learning fun, engaging, and memorable, shouldn't students have a hand in making it truly theirs? 

You are in my team!

Before any game begins, I always consider how to group my students. Effective grouping is critical for achieving learning objectives and minimizing classroom conflicts, especially given the unique dynamics of each class in terms of numbers, levels, and behaviors. My choice of homogenous or heterogeneous groups always aligns with the game's specific learning objectives and purpose, as well as the class size. My role is always to facilitate collaborative learning without causing conflict or tears, which is why I've developed a variety of effective grouping strategies

 If the game needs two teams, my students naturally start forming two groups which makes my job easier because I focus on quickly settling the remaining ones or resolving any minor instant conflicts. For a random assignment, I have each one of the students write their names on a folded small paper slip. I then collect and randomly sort these into designated team piles, calling out names for students to join their new teams. In rare times, I follow the alphabetical order or the class list to make equal groups of four or five. Additionally, I tried some software platforms like ClassDojo which can quickly and randomly assign the students to groups, and it adds fun and suspense to the process. 

Challenges of gamifying a lesson
While the benefits of gamifying are numerous, creating fun in the classroom is not always easy.  I have encountered my share of challenges when trying to gamify my sessions. Whether to create a game from scratch or selecting a ready-made appropriate one, the time commitment needed is one challenge. It is also challenging to empower every student in the competition and make them feel included, especially those who struggle. Additionally, adjusting games to respect cultural differences and social values is essential to ensure they resonate positively with all students. To maintain a fair and drama-free environment, I make sure the rules are applied consistently to every student, with no exceptions, ensuring everyone has an equal chance at rewards. It is also heartbreaking to see the disappointment in the students’ eyes when they  don't make it onto the leaderboard. Winning is not enough for some of them. Finally, classroom management during the game —particularly controlling the excitement and noise levels— are also challenging in the process which require careful planning and quick response. 

Conclusion 
Gamification is an evolving process, but one look at my students’ excited faces, shouting "Hooray!" for another quest, confirms that the game is truly worth the play. Gamifying has magically transformed my classroom into a fun, enjoyable, and safe place for all students. My "secret recipe" to its success is careful planning, addressing conflicts promptly, and giving students choice. Although it comes with challenges—from time investment to managing tears and noise—the benefits gained in student engagement, pride, and deeper learning are invaluable.