You may look back fondly at rote learning but the best lessons have drama, says Sue Cowley

In the good old days, pupils were content to copy from the board, chant endless times tables and work in silence for hours. Any misbehaviour was dealt with swiftly and sometimes painfully.

Ask today’s pupils to write in silence and they’ll insist you are breaching their human rights. Modern-day pupils have high expectations. Entertain us, they demand, we refuse to be bored.

The best lessons are as enjoyable for the teacher as for the pupils. They should create a sense of curiosity or excitement about the sheer joy of learning.

Not every lesson can be an all-singing, all-dancing, multi-media sensation. Make your pupils earn the right to be entertained. “Learn this vocabulary and we can set up our French market; write this script and you can record your own radio show.”

Think of a memorable lesson from your own school days, and it won’t be one where you were taught by rote. Whether it’s topical, unusual or downright amusing, create lessons that live on long after the school bell goes.

Sue Cowley is an author, trainer and presenter. Her latest book is Getting the Buggers into Drama (Continuum). For more information, visit www.suecowley.co.uk.