In it for the Long Haul
If classroom management is the micromanagement of teaching with this approach, then campaign management is the macro management. Teaching with this framework requires flexibility, and flexibility is easiest to achieve by being several steps ahead of the students in the plot of their world. As it is the teacher's role to control the people, ideas, actions, and voices of other nations, it is important that they have considered how the actions of student-driven nations are going to impact the nations of the world and respond accordingly. Here are a few tips for maintaining a campaign:
Hold On Loosely, but Don't Let GoBeware the perils of overplanning. Remember that no plan will survive the first contact, and that is alright. Students will respond in unexpected ways. When planning specific incidents or problems, focus on creating singular goals or problems for students to solve. If you try to take into account how they will solve the problems you present them, you will frequently find yourself back at the drawing board, or frustrated at their divergent vision.
|
Reward Creativity and Critical ThinkingCreative and critical thinking is going to be a consistent output of students using Needs and Nations. Ensure that the students are able to feel as though they are rewarded for their actions when they do well. Allow students to celebrate success and mourn failure. This process of engagement allows for a fundamental emotional drive to creep into your classroom activities and it will only benefit students in the end.
|
Don't be afraid to rewriteSometimes the originally planned idea takes an unexpected turn when the students are exposed to your plan. Do not be afraid to go back to the drawing board and completely change your plan to incorporate a new element that students have brought up. Perhaps there is greater educational value for them to pursue a national interest in gold over the farmland that you prepared for them, or that they decided that espionage is a better decision (destroying the carefully considered military campaign you expected them to follow). Go with their direction first, and develop as they change. This method ensures that you do not get discouraged by watching your class consistently decimate your lesson plans.
|