Creative English Teacher — Gamification

Through the Labyrinth: Teaching Text Structure and Point of View Using the Greek Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur

November 01, 2025 • Gamification • Heroes and Monsters • Mythology • Teaching Ideas • The Hero's Journey

Every year when I reach “Theseus and the Minotaur” in my Greek mythology heroes unit, I can almost predict the reaction: “Oh, imagine that. Another hero fighting another monster.” Fair enough—after three weeks of one hero after another, even a classic myth can feel cliché. That’s why I started asking myself: How can I make this story feel fresh again? The answer led me down two different creative pathways—each a unique take on how students experience story structure and point of view.

The Mario Kart Philosophy and How It Applies to Your Classroom

August 12, 2025 • Gamification • Teacher Life • Teaching Ideas

When students feel they can no longer succeed, they give up. That’s why there should always be a Mario Kart catch-up opportunity baked into your course design.

Roll Your Way to Olympic Victory with Roll-ympics!

January 29, 2025 • Gamification • Teaching Ideas

Roll-ympics is a series of dice challenges where students can try to beat the odds and press their luck. Each event is designed to mimic a particular athletic event.

Mad Tea Party: An Absolutely Mad Spin on a Classic Game

October 21, 2024 • British Literature • Children's Literature • Gamification • World Literature

Mad Tea Party remixes the concept of multiplayer Guess Who? with the characters of Alice in Wonderland. In this game, you take on the secret identity of one of 20 characters from the classic novel–including fan favorites like the Mad Hatter, Tweedledee, and Tweedledum, but also deep cuts like Humpty Dumpty, the Walrus, and the Mock Turtle. Your task? To keep your identity a secret while discovering the identity of your fellow players. You do this by asking “yes” or “no” questions related to a set list of characteristics: Are you an animal? A human? Are you wearing a hat? Are you drinking tea? etc. If a player’s identity is discovered, the discovering player receives a point and play continues. You draw a new identity card and continue playing.

A Greek God Social Deduction Game and How You Can Create Your Own!

October 07, 2024 • Gamification • Mythology • Teaching Ideas

Is there a type of content you need to gamify? This game format is easily adaptable to whatever content you might be teaching.