Play + Engagement = Effective Instruction
David St.
Germain is an advertising guru. His client list includes Coca-Cola, Burger
King, TCBY, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Marriott and about 70 other mega-brands. He said that: “Play is one of the most
misunderstood concepts anywhere. We do
know a few things: We seem to have played a lot in the classroom in elementary
school, some in middle school, a little in high school and very little when we
get into life” (Schools of Fish).
Play is the
primary ingredient in any atmosphere, it is essential when a teacher is trying
to set a positive feeling tone or otherwise motivate students. It is a way to actively engage all those
bodies staring up at you - in active participation.
The FISH! concept
of Play taps into our
natural way of being creative, enthusiastic and having fun. Play is the spirit
that drives the curious mind, as in “Let’s play with that idea!” It’s a mindset
you can bring to everything you do.
Engagement
begins with active participation – engaging most of the students, most of the
time.
Put them
together and you’ve developed the perfect formula for student success.
Learning through play is essential when our goal is engaging most of
the students most of the time. If active participation equates to the
consistent mental involvement of most of the students most of the time…then by
its very definition…play is key and could very well be the missing link to
student engagement and achievement.
But let’s talk about play as it is often an extremely misunderstood
concept when it relates to the classroom.
There was a teacher in a training who could not get past the word “play”
and how she defined it. She could not
hurtle the notion that her class would be out of control and wild if she let
them play…when in fact the opposite is true. A classroom at “play” is a
classroom of learners actively engaged; because play is the primary ingredient
in any atmosphere where students are relaxed, enthused and able to give their
best and where students feel safe to try new things. Any place where creativity and critical
thinking flourishes – some form of play is happing.
Albert Einstein put it this way: “Play is the greatest research.” Play is hard work you love to do. As teachers, it is incumbent upon us to make
instruction something students love to participate in - to do that we must keep
student mentally and/or actively involved in each lesson most of the time.
Play is not what you say and do so much as how is said or done.
Engage Students with Read Along Stories
The internet is full of webquests and read along stories you can download or run on
computers, ipads, notebooks, tablets - any technology. Great FREE read alongs include:
Teacher Assignment
Stop and Take a Minute: Close your eyes and think of one way that you
can actively engage your students in play in your classroom through play.
Teacher Assignment: Print these out - either now or later - think, draw and write your answers - and then share in the comments sections if you are so included:
Link for: Assignments for all ages that are "Playfully" engaging.
References
Strand, Phillip; Christensen,
Halper, Andy. (2006) Schools of Fish!. Hyperion. New York, New York.
Thanks -- and be sure to follow this blog for more Freebies!
Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti
#ChapinPinotti
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