What are the cons or downsides to using entertainment as a teaching method in younger grades?

Kay.En: What are the cons or downsides to using entertainment as a teaching method in younger grades?
I’m planning on becoming a teacher and I am interested in “edutainment”, or entertainment in lesson plans. Such as music, videos, games, singing, dancing, etc. BUT I am curious to know what some of the cons in this teaching method may be?

Answers and Views:

Answer by l-towngurlie
The only downside i can think of is they won’t be able to learn without singing and dancing such as in college when all a professor does is read off of a power point. But other than that I can’t think of any. Please specify what age range and grade you’re talking about because edutainment is how pre k and kindergarden kids learn.

Answer by Chad Lee
First and most obvious con, crazed and insane parents. If you are teaching grades 3-6 then using entertainment to often or even a few times a year can cause an uproar with parents.
Grades K-2 are a little different, using entertainment more then once within a short amount of time can cause the children to be distracted and/or loose interest in whatever you are trying to teach them. If they enjoy the entertainment too much then they will only focus on that one thing.
Slightly older grades such as 7-8 can be even more difficult. Doing to many entertainment based things causes loss of faith in the teacher from students. This is because they will believe you are too care free and they will get nothing productive done in your class. At the same time it will cause more serious and in larger quantities of uproar from parents.

But all-in-all it really depends on how you decide to use entertainment.
if you use entertainment that is too boring, nothing happens. If too entertaining, nothing gets done efficiently.

Answer by ArchStanton
Nothing is wrong with it as long as you don’t do it to excess. Do “edutainment” all of the time and students will expect entertainment rather than education. Education is sometimes a tough process; it’s not always entertaining. “Edutainers” do students a disservice by teaching them that anything that is boring is not worthwhile. No teaching strategy is perfect 100% of the time–lecture, group work, “edutainment,” or anything else. A balanced teaching style embracing multiple modes of interaction and discovery will be much more beneficial for the student.

Answer by Catherine F
This is a terrific way to teach!!!

You may experience some resistence from the administration who will challenge that you are ‘playing’ instead of learning. Make sure that you switch up activities. Allow the children to help plan lessons that recap what you have done. letting them create more serious projects and presentations like power point will reinforce content and put them in the present/instructor mode (it will also teach great audience skills). You’ll also want to make sure they know how to organize data from lectures and learn note taking. The best teachers, even lecturers are edutatiners!

Limit the video stuff. Kids tend to zone out and get too comfortable. A little bit of everything can go a long way. Invite other teachers to collaboratively plan with you. Cross curriculum work is a great idea. Include your music, art, pe and media specialists. Offer to present class work at parent nights. If you have district level personnel who are willing to visit have them come in so that you can show off innovative ideas.

Study some of Ron Clark’s ideas (he is a real free thinker who does a lot of out of the box thinking). This actually works well all they way up through adult education.

Have fun.make sure everybody does.!!!