Let’s Play!
Once we have our curiosity going, play usually follows.
The word “play” comes from the Old English pleg(i)an ‘to exercise’, and is related to Middle Dutch pleien ‘leap for joy, dance’.
Play is essential and a critical part in the learning process, but it is so absent in the classroom today. Why is that?
What is especially ironic is that when students are doing what seems to be endless “exercises” in a book in order to supposedly learn something, it does not feel like or resemble what we typically think of when we think of play.
Many of the activities in school are just exercises after exercises of filling in the blanks, copying definitions, taking “notes” and doing workbook activities. They are prescriptive and meaningless, but the fastest and easiest way to deliver content, right?
It is a little like the concept of exercising and doing repetitive movements and reps in order to get in shape. The approach is kind of aligned with a mentality of “Keep working that muscle for it to get stronger. No pain, no gain.”
Standardized testing, prescriptive lesson plans, rote memorization, mindless repetition, one-size-fits-all, no real world connection or meaning…UGH…STOP!!!
Play usually involves some sort of movement, risk-taking, curiosity, imagination, pretending, make-believe, imitating, creating, role playing and being totally in the present moment.
I have taught every age group from 0-90 years old, and a big part of my teaching was always play, no matter the age group.
I tried to tap into the curiosity of every child (or child within us all) and create what I referred to as “Disney Magic Learning Ride”. Not a scary roller coaster ride but rather that warm, “home” feeling and wonder that Walt Disney envisioned for all visitors to his theme parks.
After all, it is known as the “WONDER-ful” World of Disney!
It is really not hard to create play and a sense of wonder in the classroom. Let’s play around with this idea. (more…)
