Each teacher is different. Some love writing and drawing on the board. Others like showing educational videos. Some enjoy giving out snacks that correlate with their lessons. Each one of us is different and, although many of us may use all three, very few of us use hats in the classroom.
First, let me just personally say I love hats! Hats are one of my favorite visuals by far!! But why? Well, let me tell you…Here are the top 3 reasons why I love using hats in the classroom:
1. It’s Hilarious
How many of us love to laugh? Love to chuckle, giggle, or just burst out with an embarrassing mixture of snorting and tears? We all do!
All people, all around the world, love laughter. Laughter is a universal language that shows one of the highest forms of joy a person can experience. Therefore, making your students laugh by wearing a funny hat is not only a win for the students, but also a win for the teacher because you get to join into their joy.
2. It’s Memorable
Any time someone laughs about something, they feel the need to go tell someone else about it.
Let’s be honest here. We’ve all heard something that made us laugh and then instantly wanted to share it with the person sitting next to us or the friend we’re going to go see.
The same works for your students. They love sharing the things that make them laugh. They’ll tell mom all about how their teacher wore a sombrero when the class “traveled” to Mexico in history class. They’ll tell their little brother all about the American Flag that their teacher told them about as they wore a patriotic hat. They’ll brag about how cool their teacher was in the hard hat when they taught about construction workers.
Seeing a teacher dressed up in a hat makes the lesson both fun and memorable. It turns it into a lesson that lasts not only for a day, but into one that lasts for a lifetime.
3. It’s Exciting
When we’ve been surprised by the unexpected, we always want more. We become excited for it and thirst for it in anticipation.
If your students are surprised by the new visuals in the room, by seeing their teacher wear hats, they’ll become excited for the lessons. They’ll thirst for more knowledge. They’ll naturally desire more education. And they’ll hunger for more learning.
By building excitement in the classroom, you’ll make them love learning.
Remember not to use any hats on students, due to sanitary reasons—hats are for the teacher’s head only, lol.
So try it out, use hats in the class and see how your students respond. Comment below and let me know how it goes! Let’s teach creatively together!
Teaching Creativity 