Two years ago I read the book "Josh Baxter Levels Up" by Gavin Brown. In the story a middle school boy who loves to game deicides to turn his life around by making his own life into a video-game-style challenge. Eureka! This was how I was going to invigorate my summer program. I had to know more. I reached out to the author himself for advice on how to implement these ideas in real life. Below I have pasted our correspondence from Reddit.com:
I am reading this book with my son (almost 9) and we are stunned- he IS Josh in so many ways! Doctor Who loving, Mario Kart playing, Minecraft obsessed kid. This book has inspired him to think of life in terms of "playing to win" instead of "playing not to lose."
Every summer I write a curriculum for my kids to help them stay up to speed over the 2 month vacation. I incorporate their interests, the Library Summer Reading Program, math, and ELA. I have attempted to create an off-screen gaming platform for this as Josh does in Chapter 3. But the truth is I am not a gamer (cue the lightning). I just don't know the first thing about creating a video game! What elements or strategies should I include in my system so that it is valid and engaging? Thanks!
Every summer I write a curriculum for my kids to help them stay up to speed over the 2 month vacation. I incorporate their interests, the Library Summer Reading Program, math, and ELA. I have attempted to create an off-screen gaming platform for this as Josh does in Chapter 3. But the truth is I am not a gamer (cue the lightning). I just don't know the first thing about creating a video game! What elements or strategies should I include in my system so that it is valid and engaging? Thanks!
So glad you're enjoying it! Here are two simple ways to gamify life:
- Don't Break the Chain (originally from Jerry Seinfeld) Decide on something you want to do every day, ever other day, every weekday, whatever. Take a calendar and put it somewhere prominent. Mark down every day you meet your goal. Try to see how many days in a row you can make that check mark. Let yourself feel good when you're making it! When you miss a day (and you will eventually), no big deal. Start over and try to beat your previous high score.
- Variable rewards Instead of giving a reward for a job well done, create a chart of possible rewards. Maybe roll a 20 sided die. 1-14 are a minor reward, 15-19 are a nice reward, and 20 is something special. Then, completing a goal earns you a roll of the die. Psychologists have demonstrated that this sort of reward system is much more motivating than a fixed reward, even if the average value is the same.
Hope that helps!
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