Minecraft Club

Objectives 

To offer a fun, stress-free alternative for some students once a week to engage in a creative environment where they collaborate towards a similar goal. In the virtual world of Minecraft Education Edition. (This is NOT a behaviour program, nor a teaching opportunity). Supervision is offered by one teacher in addition to other playtime duties. Students change after 5 weeks. 

Selection Process

Expression of interest was circulated amongst all classes form Year 1 to year 4 with 2 boys and 2 girls chosen from each class (Strictly with equal numbers of girls and boys). The only pre-requisite is that students need to be able to log in independently. Students can leave at any time and any vacancies are filled from the same class with a student of the same gender.   

What will each session look like?

• Sessions run at recess Monday  to Thursday for a different Year group each day. 

• Teacher sets world and explains objectives of the game 

• Teacher explicitly explains behaviour expectations and consequences

  As this is NOT a teaching session, students need to find another ‘expert’ to help with challenges 

Several Year 5 volunteers assist students – these students are allowed to join the game to assist the younger or less-experienced students within the world to achieve their goals .

Benefits of the program 

• Fun, yet challenging, less formality than a typical class program, change in stress levels, engaging program 

• Provides time-out from playground pressures for some students 

• Students do not need to be an expert 

Opportunities 

• Provides opportunities for some students to network with others with a similar interest 

• Bonding opportunities for older students with younger students 

• Leadership opportunities for the older students – they are under no obligation to attend during recess, it is purely voluntary (they have their own Minecraft session twice a term as a reward) 

• provides these older students with opportunities to have ownership as experts/mentors and display their knowledge and skills with something they are passionate about. This may be very different to what may be happening in the classroom or on the sporting field