"Teach Like a Champion" by Doug Lemov

During this time of year, where teachers have so much on their plate, I found a great reminder to us all!  In the book, "Teach Like a Champion", by Doug Lemov, he explains the technique, " THE J-FACTOR".  Mr. Lemov explains this technique in chapter seven,  titled, " Building Character and Trust". 

"It turns out that finding joy in the work of learning- the J-Factor- is a key driver not just of a happy classroom but of a high-achieving classroom. It's useful if not exactly a revelation, that people work harder when they enjoy working on something- not perhaps in every minute of every day, but when their work is punctuated regularly by moments of exultation and joy"(pg. 215)

Here are five categories of J-Factor activities that champion teachers use in their classrooms: 

Fun and Games: Draw on kids' love for challenge, competition, and play! For example, play games where the kids and the teachers move around the room. Several games that gets them moving are Math Baseball, Around the World and relay races.

Us and them: (one of my favorites), Kids like everybody else, take pleasure in belonging to things. This is where the teachers make the classroom a family. "Through unique language, names, rituals, traditions, songs,  and cultures it establishes "Us" ness."  When the class develops secret signals, it makes the class feel like a family and builds a bond of "usness".

Drama, song and dance: Music, dramatic play, and movement raise spirits and also establish a collective identity. They also power up memory. 

Humor: Laughter is one of the base conditions of happiness and fulfillment, which makes it a powerful tool to building an environment of happy and fulfilled students and teachers. Make up funny rhymes, songs, dances to get the laughter started.

Suspense and surprise: As we know routines are a must in the classroom in order to help with classroom management but adding a surprise to the lesson keeps them guessing and excited. Some ideas include putting  spelling words in an envelop or fishbowl and have kids pull them out then guess the rule for that group of words. Or they have to find a math problem hidden around the room in a blue envelope then they must solve and show a friend. 

Yes, we do have to keep up with curriculum and CCSS but remember we can have the J-Factor too!