Recently, I have seen some examples of what I will call "fun-shaming" in education. While there is certainly a case to be made for the idea that education shouldn't be engaging alone, looking down on a lesson because it teaches physics AND is fun (hi, almost all experiments involving baking soda), makes zero sense. You can't just play and have fun all day instead of learning, but why on earth not in addition to learning?
If we would rather work at jobs where our skills are valued, we are compensated adequately, and we enjoy our colleagues and workspace and our work itself, why wouldn't we espouse the same theory in classrooms and schools?
It starts with a culture of people who love their jobs, and love kids. Most educators start out this way! You know the saying, teachers don't join for the million dollar paychecks. Principals and other admin are under a lot of pressure, students are coming from a range of backgrounds, skills, and needs. Finding a way to have fun helps everyone be a better, more well-rounded, and engaged version of themselves.
Anyone who has visited Ron Clark Academy or Google headquarters has seen examples of the far end of that spectrum in terms of establishing positive, creative, fun-loving cultures. Not all schools have slides, or beanbags, or dance routines - but they can all still have fun. I have been fortunate to work in multiple environments where relationship building with students and other staff has been a priority. In contrast to places I have been where that is not the case, it is night and day in terms of what students will do, and try, and how they grow.
It can be as simple as 5 minute warmup activities that get students out of a chair and moving, or a joke of the day on the board, or an activator that is interesting and relevant (memes, I'm looking at you). I have said it before and I will say it again, it does not matter how old a person is, everyone will work for stickers. I am serious. Want students to reach growth goals or chart their progress? Let them put a sticker on a chart every time they achieve. Need a simple way to get them groups, hand out color coded or themed stickers. It has worked for me every single time. As an English teacher, I experimented with "Wild and Wacky Worksheet Wednesday" which I honestly thought would result in groans of despair and embarrassment at my lameness. Instead, I found a way to make differentiated formative assessment routine...and wait for it, fun. I also used silly, funny, or weird creative writing prompts at the start of class to ease the transition from hallway chaos to quiet individual work time. They chose one, or created their own, and wrote in a daily journal that wasn't graded, but allowed me a glimpse into their personalities, their lives outside of school, and their writing skills. They also went directly to their seats and sat down because they wanted it handed back with comments. On end of year feedback forms, they always listed these 2 activities as something they loved or that was their favorite etc.
These are just a few examples from one course and one person, but I know that everyone has their own and if not, try someone else's till you find what works for your and your students! I know that beautiful doodles, or using bitmoji, or custom high fives are not tactics that will work for me. Everyone has their own personalities and strengths though. Everyone can approach their time with students with the attitude of how can we have fun and respect our time and tasks today?
It can also be as extensive as a philosophy shift of honoring student voice, choice, and autonomy. That might involve non-traditional grading policies that honor effort and multiple attempts, and "failures" as success. Maybe that looks like project based learning or engineering design processes, or STEAM integration. Maybe it just looks like answering "Can I...." with a yes instead of a no. Teaching and valuing student's skills, individuality, personalities, creativity is worth it.
However it looks for you and your school, let's not fun shame anymore. Let's create working and learning environments that we all want to be a part of, and that celebrate instead of dictate the fun out of education.
If we would rather work at jobs where our skills are valued, we are compensated adequately, and we enjoy our colleagues and workspace and our work itself, why wouldn't we espouse the same theory in classrooms and schools?
It starts with a culture of people who love their jobs, and love kids. Most educators start out this way! You know the saying, teachers don't join for the million dollar paychecks. Principals and other admin are under a lot of pressure, students are coming from a range of backgrounds, skills, and needs. Finding a way to have fun helps everyone be a better, more well-rounded, and engaged version of themselves.
Anyone who has visited Ron Clark Academy or Google headquarters has seen examples of the far end of that spectrum in terms of establishing positive, creative, fun-loving cultures. Not all schools have slides, or beanbags, or dance routines - but they can all still have fun. I have been fortunate to work in multiple environments where relationship building with students and other staff has been a priority. In contrast to places I have been where that is not the case, it is night and day in terms of what students will do, and try, and how they grow.
It can be as simple as 5 minute warmup activities that get students out of a chair and moving, or a joke of the day on the board, or an activator that is interesting and relevant (memes, I'm looking at you). I have said it before and I will say it again, it does not matter how old a person is, everyone will work for stickers. I am serious. Want students to reach growth goals or chart their progress? Let them put a sticker on a chart every time they achieve. Need a simple way to get them groups, hand out color coded or themed stickers. It has worked for me every single time. As an English teacher, I experimented with "Wild and Wacky Worksheet Wednesday" which I honestly thought would result in groans of despair and embarrassment at my lameness. Instead, I found a way to make differentiated formative assessment routine...and wait for it, fun. I also used silly, funny, or weird creative writing prompts at the start of class to ease the transition from hallway chaos to quiet individual work time. They chose one, or created their own, and wrote in a daily journal that wasn't graded, but allowed me a glimpse into their personalities, their lives outside of school, and their writing skills. They also went directly to their seats and sat down because they wanted it handed back with comments. On end of year feedback forms, they always listed these 2 activities as something they loved or that was their favorite etc.
These are just a few examples from one course and one person, but I know that everyone has their own and if not, try someone else's till you find what works for your and your students! I know that beautiful doodles, or using bitmoji, or custom high fives are not tactics that will work for me. Everyone has their own personalities and strengths though. Everyone can approach their time with students with the attitude of how can we have fun and respect our time and tasks today?
It can also be as extensive as a philosophy shift of honoring student voice, choice, and autonomy. That might involve non-traditional grading policies that honor effort and multiple attempts, and "failures" as success. Maybe that looks like project based learning or engineering design processes, or STEAM integration. Maybe it just looks like answering "Can I...." with a yes instead of a no. Teaching and valuing student's skills, individuality, personalities, creativity is worth it.
However it looks for you and your school, let's not fun shame anymore. Let's create working and learning environments that we all want to be a part of, and that celebrate instead of dictate the fun out of education.
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