How to Make Biology Fun - A Guide for Teachers
Biology is a grueling and stressful subject for most students and it is often asked how biology can be fun. This question is not easily answered; however, here are a few steps which can help you discover how to make biology fun!
Communicate How Biology is Relevant to Daily Life
Biology offers something that no other subject offers to students, a daily interaction with the subject and themselves personally. When students can clearly see how biology is relevant to their lives and the lives of all people, animals and plants around them they will be more apt to learning the concepts and may find them more interesting. Students prematurely perceive biology as complicated and boring. When students can apply their knowledge directly to themselves they will have an easier time remembering what they need to and will definitely find it more interesting and fun once they can personally relate.Include Experiments
Once students come to realize how biology is a part of their everyday lives it is best to let them truly see and witness the biological processes which surround them. Biology is a hands-on subject, as is most science, and biology offers opportunity for experiment like no other subject does. Embracing this opportunity and acting on will set the subject apart from others in the minds of students. Doing this right will not only set the subject apart, but it will be for a positive reason, not an “I hate this subject” kind of reason. Experiments will give students the opportunity to have some fun while learning opposed to just lecture, reading and homework.Don’t Push Memorization
Teachers tend to push the memorization of facts and lists on students when it comes to the subject of biology. Although it is important that students know the facts, massive memorization turns a student off right away which, in biology, is not easy to undo. Because most students primarily come into the subject of biology with a defensive stance hold off on the memorization. Let the experiments work their magic in making biology interesting and assisting in the teaching of the facts. Then, if you feel you need to have students memorized things such as: parts of the cell or the part of a plant don’t do it in a massive manner. Keep it simple and perhaps have quizzes over such subjects that include lists rather than exams that require a lot of memorization. You will be surprised at how well students will remember these things and respond positively when you require them in little steps at a time.Be Enthusiastic about Biology
Most students reflect the attitude of their instructors towards a subject. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, have an enthusiastic approach toward biology and your students will be excited and have fun learning biology too. Your tone, actions and expression will set the environment of the classroom; if your goal is to have a fun learning environment this is the most influential element. You must be the leader of your class into the fun that biology has to offer.In review: Communicate, experiment, don't push memorization and be enthusiastic. If you incorporate these ideas in your classroom you will be amazed by your students’ response and will gain further knowledge on how to make biology fun!
