I wanted to gamify my 9th grade English class this year. I looked into different programs, like Classcraft. However, I already had a number of programs I was using in my class, like Achieve3000, IXL, and Membean, so I didn’t want to add yet another program to the class. It was partly because I was using different ed-tech programs that I wanted to create a unifying classroom game/ theme for the year. I didn’t want students to just become skilled at these various ed-tech programs, and I wanted a way to generate excitement and promote more participation and character development. So instead of signing up for another program, I decided to create my own year-long classroom game: The Hero’s Journey.
I wrote in my first post on Medium why I wanted to unify my class around the idea of The Hero’s Journey. I wanted both the students and myself as a teacher to view our educational experience this year as something heroic, as an epic quest. Students wrote narratives about a time they were heroic and created a visual project on a hero in their lives. We discussed the stages of the hero’s journey and how their high school and overall educational experiences could be viewed through the framework of the hero’s journey: call to adventure, departure, cultivation of skills, transformation, and return.
The Hero’s Journey game is a mixture of different elements. I started with the idea of gaining and losing XP, as in video games or something like Duolingo. Many of my students are avid video game players, and some view a possible passion in their life as video game designers. The Hero’s Journey game is also sort of like the points system in Harry Potter. I will set forth a difficult challenge, and if a student accomplishes the challenge (like getting a 100 on a vocabulary quiz), they will earn XP. Finally, I was influenced in the creation of the game both by popular heroic films like Star Wars as well as the progression of belts in martial arts.
I view the class as a journey of discipline, mastery, and new skills. To me, this is a different framework than merely looking at a class as homework, tests, multiple-choice bubbles, etc. It also changes the role of the teacher. In his book Zen in the Martial Arts, Joe Hyams explains the symbolic nature of the belt system in martial arts: “Many martial arts systems have various colors of belts between white and brown as well as degrees of brown and black, a constant reminder to the student that there is more to learn beyond whatever proficiency he or she may already have” (31). Students are on different levels and stages of their journey, but they should be united in their pursuit of continuous improvement, kaizen.
At first, I tracked students’ XP through a massive Google spreadsheet. Over Thanksgiving, I searched for a better way because I wanted students to be able to see their XP without seeing all of their peers’ points. The only way I was telling students their XP was through conversation or through a weekly leaderboard posted on Schoology. I researched different platforms and the one I ended up going with was ClassDojo. I converted their XP for the year onto ClassDojo and got students signed up when they returned to school. Unfortunately, ClassDojo only allows students to see their weekly points and not their overall point accumulations for the year, so I am still on the lookout for a better point-sharing program.
I award students XP for excellence; a message I repeat is “Pursue excellence.” Excellence is not necessarily perfection, but it is going beyond your comfort zone with dedicated effort. I award students for doing particularly well on an assignment or assessment, but I also award students XP for character traits, such as the “Ignatian Jedi” award for demonstrating a Grad at Gradcharacteristic, such as Open to Growth. That way, I didn’t want The Hero’s Journey game to be merely reflective of grades and aptitude, but also character development, persistence, and effort.
Here are some of XP awards I give:
- Writing Beast- A on an essay- 20 XP
- Wordsmith Award- 100 on a Membean Quiz- 10 XP
- MVP: Most Valuable Participant- 10 XP
- Achieve3000 Lexile Growth Monster- 20 XP
- Collaboration Sensation- 20 XP
- Grit and Growth Gains- Demonstrating grit or growth mindset- 20 XP
On the Hero’s Journey, the hero will be faced with trials and obstacles. I deduct XP for certain actions, but the ultimate goal is positive recognition rather than a disciplinary system of classroom management.
Based off their cumulative XP for the year, each student is on a belt level. Each belt level has a different “superpower” associated with that level after the initial white belt stage. The game is divided into five levels:
Level One: Young Grasshopper: White Belt- 0–149 XP
As Shunryu Suzuki writes, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.” This is our beginner’s mind stage, as students set off on their journey. There are no superpowers associated with this stage.
Level Two: The Seeker of Wisdom: Blue Belt- 150–299 XP
The student is on the path of wisdom, learning, and understanding. To recognize this accomplishment, the student earns the following superpower: 10 points extra credit weekly on a grammar or vocabulary quiz.
Level Three: The Artist of Life: Purple Belt- 300–499 XP
The student continues on the path of self cultivation. They create art with their poems, writing, projects, discussions, and actions. Their superpower at this stage is that they are free to go to any station they wish within the classroom (i.e. they are not assigned a particular station).
Level Four: The Jedi: Brown Belt- 500–699 XP
The student is like a Jedi in the classroom, absorbing wisdom and helping others on their path. In addition to the other superpowers they have accumulated throughout the year, students at this level are allowed to turn in an essay a week late for full credit.
Level Five: Sensei: Black Belt- 700–1000 XP
This is the highest, most sought after level of the game. The student at this level has become the sensei, a master. They can face any challenge with courage and persistence, and they act compassionately to all of their peers.
After the black belt, there is no higher level. I joke that I as a teacher will disappear, leaving the black belt in charge.
This has been an interesting way to re-frame the class through a different lens. It is an ongoing journey of learning, character development, and skill cultivation. The classroom has become the dojo.
No comments:
Post a Comment