Let’s be honest. We all have that one class that we look forward to during the day. We all hope that our other classes will go fast so we can get to that one class. Well I was curious about what those classes were. I asked 5 Saucon Valley students what that one class is for them. But first, let’s see what makes a class a student’s favorite and what are usually the most liked classes.
A study, which was led by UT college of Education professor Erika Patall, confirms that interested students tend to work harder, pay more attention, and think more about strategies to remember the material.
The study showed that the most liked subject was science and technology, the most important and also difficult subject was mathematics. Whether classes were amusing, boring and/or linked to daily life experiences was found to be the most frequently mentioned reasons for student engagement.
For some students, the tend to enjoy a class when teachers use more group time. When you allow students to work together, they retain information quicker and longer. Cooperation also helps develop critical thinking and communication skills. Group time breaks up the same routine, making learning and your lesson much more enjoyable.
“My favorite class is drawing and I have it in the 3rd period. In this class I get to use my imagination and my own ideas on different projects. This is my favorite class because we aren’t being told we need to do things in a specific way and we get to be creative,” said junior Brooke Stauffer.
Along with more creative license, some students gravitate to classes depending on the teacher and the way in which the material is taught. Different students click with different teaching-styles so favorite teacher opinions can be varying depending on the learner.
“My favorite class is Spanish and I have it in the first period. In this class, we learn about Spain, do worksheets, activities and work with people often. This is my favorite class because I love the teacher,” said sophomore Ava FaRannte.
Teachers not only change a class, but also the class roster. Students tend to enjoy classes where they feel comfortable around their peers and have friends to enjoy the content with.
“My favorite class is drawing that I have in first period. In this class, we draw and do art related projects. This is my favorite class because my friends are in that class,” said freshman King Aris.
Junior Aurora Valderrama agreed that friends can change a class. “My favorite class is English and I have it in the sixth period. In this class, we take notes, read books, talk a lot and watch movies about the book we are reading. This is my favorite class because a lot of my friends are in it and I’m very good at English,” said Valderrama.
Some classes can also offer an opportunity to make new friends. The activities are engaging in a way where students can mingle and connect with their peers in ways they hadn’t been able to do prior.
“My favorite class is gym and I have this class in period ⅚. In this class we run, stretch and then play different team sports like pickleball, basketball and football. This is my favorite class because I made a lot of new friends, it gives me a break in my day and I get to exercise,” said sophomore Ellie Hamman.
As you can see, there are a variety of classes that are students’ favorites. It seems that students usually like the classes that have their friends in them. Whatever the reason, it is good to find a reason to be engaged in class and to enjoy coming to school each day.
