Ep 325: Why Filler Activities Backfire (In a Secondary Classroom)

About this episode

Khristen Massic discusses why filler activities can backfire in secondary classrooms and how they often lead to disengagement among students.

Ever tried a so-called fun end-of-class activity and ended up feeling more exhausted than you started? In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, host Khristen Massic takes aim at why filler activities backfire in a secondary classroom, and she does not hold back. If you’ve ever walked out of your classroom after ten minutes of “fun” with more side chatter, off-task students, and your energy zapped, you’re not alone. Our primary keyword phrase today is “why filler activities backfire in a secondary classroom”—and Khristen’s here to name what so many don’t say out loud. The problem isn’t that you’re missing some critical engagement gene; it’s that typical filler games like Trash Ball or toss-the-ball-for-points are only engaging for the one kid holding the spotlight. Everyone else? Zoned out, waiting, or finding their own fun. In a classroom of teens, when most are just watching, dead air creeps in—and that’s when behavior issues show up uninvited. Here’s the trap: teachers want to send students out on a high note, keep things light with games or review challenges. But activities where just a couple of students are active while everyone else is on the sidelines create what…

People in this episode

Host: Khristen Massic

Topics covered

• filler activities
• secondary classroom
• student engagement
• classroom management
• behavior issues

Keywords

• filler activities
• secondary education
• classroom engagement
• student behavior
• teaching strategies

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