There is a lot of great information out there about the importance of physical activity and play as it relates to learning in school. In fact, one inspiringly active, passionate and innovative superintendent, Dr. Michael Hynes, actually wrote a letter to his staff encouraging them to "ignore state tests and have more play in school."
When I first saw this I thought, "Woah, can he say that?"
Dr. Hynes' message, and that of so many others, is that when we tell students what to do every moment of every day they lose the opportunity to think, create, and problem solve for themselves.
I find myself frequently reminding my own children that there is more than one way to do things, but I fear that the opposite is reinforced in school where the product is valued more greatly than the process.
When it comes to education, institutions are pretty clear about their why and their what. Generally, mission statements for schools and districts communicate some commitment to students' future success - their why, and most have detailed curriculum maps to outline the content that will actually be delivered - their what.
It is in the how that we have an incredible opportunity to challenge our students to explore rich curriculum while at the same time allowing them to create, solve, experiment and even fail so that they can try again.
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." - William Butler Yeats
What if we could incorporate elements of play into learning at all levels? What if our students were interested in and excited about coming to class and they felt like they had something to offer? What if we were as intentional about how we teach as we are about what we teach?
Here is what is happening at schools across the country:
Students are beginning to own it - they are taking responsibility for their learning.
Teachers see an increase in self-confidence and a decrease in anxiety.
Students perform better academically.
Students develop habits that facilitate life-long learning.
It doesn't have to be complicated, but it does have to be intentional.
Some teachers invite students to create stories with audio, visual, kinesthetic and emotional anchors to teach complex processes or historical content. Others build rapport with their students by bringing their own interests and passions into the classroom and still others encourage students to explore a given concept from their own unique perspectives.
There are so many strategies out there but we have to be intentional about making it happen. We must take time to plan the how.