Gaming During Report Card Season

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I was asked by @flaversham to write on how to find time to game during report card season. While I am not really sure how report card season is throughout the world. I reckon it is busy, crazy and definitely filled with long, crazy hours. For us here, it is only a short few days (if not only a day). After transitioning over to higher education, our report card season is the season when we get audited by an external body.

However, if you are like me, games are as important as my cup of coffee every morning. Nothing beats a good match of Call of Duty or Titanfall 2 after work. But what if the stress builds up and you just have to blow off some steam? I have not come to a point that I have to game at work. But, I have seen some of my future teachers who are avid gamers go to some great lengths just to get a few minutes of gaming.

The Toilet Break

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I believe that if I really have to game during report card season, this would be it. Amid the frustration, chaos and constant bombardment of questions. I would politely excuse myself and go to the toilet, pull out my mobile device and start gaming. Except, it would be pretty awkward if some student or parent enters into the toilet and start hearing the sound effects from the game. Thus, it is important to keep the volume down.

The thing is its no fun without the sound effects and school toilets are well... Unpleasant, to say the least. So maybe playing games in the toilet is not the best idea. I have no idea how my students bear the smell while spending 15 minutes in the toilet just for some gaming time. But, I suppose if you are passionate about something, anything is possible, right?

There are other options aside from the toilet. I have the key to the computer lab and that is a great place to game. The entire lab is networked has great internet connection, perfect for gaming. Oh wait, none of the computers have good graphics card and they can't run games. I don't get the logic behind a Core i7, 8GB RAM PC with integrated graphics.

Why? Why do you do this to me.

I suppose my gaming time is up. Off I return to the chaos of report card day. Maybe I should just play at home after all.

IRL-Gaming

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In Real Life gaming can be played during report card season or during audit season. When it comes around, the first game that we play is who can complete the paperwork for that day the fastest. The winner of that competition would win a free, lifetime supply of more work. Hey, if you can finish work the fastest, that means you have time. If you have time, you get more work. HOORAY!

Other games that can be done would include joke-telling competitions. I mean, it is a very stressful day, its nice to blow off some steam with a few really lame dad jokes. For example, what is the teacher's favorite day of the year? Holiday. What do you call a teacher without students? Happy. Ok, you get the idea. Normally, we would face-off during the entire season of stress and work. The only thing one would win is recognition and painful laughter.

These games do help us and it does make working a little bit more fun. The thing is, as the stress increases, the laughter and fun decreases and after awhile, people just want to go home and will not be keen to stick around the stressful period of report card season.

Teach Gaming

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In all seriousness, while it is impossible to game during report card season, it is possible to showcase gaming during such seasons. I've written before on gamification in the classroom and I believe gaming is the future of education. There will come a day where students will be playing games to learn. It could be learning about historical figures by playing Civilization. They could be learning communication skills by playing games like Overwatch. They also could play RPGs (Role Playing Games) to learn reading, seeing that most of these games require the player to read up on the Lore and stats of the weapons and gear.

If these games however are too much, I recommend sploder. It takes some effort, but you can make a really cool 2D game without much effort. Its one of the things that I have done to showcase gaming in the classroom. Thus, teaching gaming in the class will allow me to showcase playing games, officially. While I may get some disapproving looks from parents and administrators, they will soon come to see the light.

That's because that is the trend of education. Just like the use of Blockchain, gaming in education or just gaming in general is here to stay. In fact, studies have shown that it can help improve learning. With that, I should go back to playing games in the office. No, its not for me, its for research purposes =)

Thank you @flaversham for the idea. Hope you guys enjoy it.

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