Welcome, scavenger hunters, to the ultimate in online education exploration! That sounds way more fun than “please complete this quiz familiarizing you with the blackboard site,” right?

I’m really working on getting my students’ attention and bringing a new energy to my class this year.

Step one: win them over at orientation!

Like any good English teacher, I believe wholeheartedly in the power of words to transform. That can be on the high-concept “literature changed my outlook on life” perspective BUT for today’s purposes, I just want to make my class orientation seem fun and engaging (esp. since it’s on a Friday night – eek!).

To accomplish this goal, I’m using the most powerful weapon in my arsenal: words! I’m brandishing adjectives, nouns, verbs and general vocab to add some pizzazz to reviewing the syllabus and introducing them to an online format.

I’ve used this technique at the amateur level to jazz up less-than-exciting activities to great success.

For instance, Fun Lunch Thursday is the highlight of the work week. In college, I used to host Homework Parties that were little more than studying in the same room. I also like to make everything into some kind of race or contest – The Spring Cleaning 500 or The Super Bowl of Baking (My cookies will be the best at the bake sale). Emily, another TeachHUB teammate, has weekly Husband/Wife Adventures and celebrates Smile Friday.

These little bits of rhetoric bring a jolt of joy to ordinary days.

In my attempt to go pro, instead of calling my orientation assignment a quiz or tutorial, it’s a scavenger hunt. Instead of having weekly assignments, we have a “Writer’s Workshop.” (Admittedly, not the most creative name, but sometimes clarity trumps style).

I am also banking on few words to pack a punch.

That’s why we’re diving into literature with the 55-word short story. It’s easy to be intimidated by a novel, a poem or a Shakespearean play, but I’m hoping these super-short stories will spark a literary interest that they can develop throughout the course.

Hopefully, my faith in words isn’t misplaced. Cross your fingers for me!

What are your best student attention-grabbers OR other ploys to “camouflage” work for your students?