Alberta students play 'bored game' using paper clips and string
Students' creativity sparked by common household items
An Edmonton teacher says he's fuelling innovation among his Grade 6 students by boring the heck out of them.
"They started off bored. Very, very bored. Really struggling," said Thomas Fraser of Crestwood School.
Every day, Fraser hands out random household objects to his students — paper clips, toothpicks, maybe a piece of string.
Their task is to use those simple items to create games and activities to entertain themselves. And there's no touching computers, smart phones or any electronics during the "bored game," which lasts 30 minutes.
"Just long enough to first, trigger that boredom, and then give them time to invent and create," said Fraser.
He says being bored builds mental stamina and encourages creative problem solving.
Fraser says his students have really embraced the bored game and don't want to go a day without playing it.
They started off bored. Very, very bored. Really struggling.- Thomas Fraser, Edmonton teacher
"They love having that opportunity, that ownership over their learning and that next chance to share the next big thing in the classroom."
Some of the things students have come up with are catapults fashioned from barbecue skewers and adhesive putty, jewellery and a fitness course using a ball and pylons.