Description
JED DEARYBURY, is an educational leader and award-winning teacher of grades 1, 2, 3 and higher education in teacher preparation programs. He was featured in GQ Magazine as Male Leader of the Year, he won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, and he was a top 5 finalist for South Carolina Teacher of the Year. JULIE JONES, has experience teaching 4th through 12th grades and is currently an Associate Professor at Converse College in K-6 teacher education. She regularly conducts research on educational technology and pedagogy with a mix of creativity and play. Foreword xvii About the Authors xxi Acknowledgments xxiii Introduction xxv In order for the PLAYFUL Classroom to become a reality, there are some foundational beliefs that always matter. Section 1 The Case for Play Play designs the future. Trains, planes, and automobiles of today were the kids’ cardboard creations of yesterday. 1 Hey y’all! (yes, all y’all) 3 Defining PLAY 4 2 Play as a Behavior 7 3 Play as a Mindset 11 Imagination 11 Sociability 13 Humor 15 Spontaneity 16 Wonder 18 4 Benefits of PLAY 20 Brain Benefits 20 Academic Benefits 20 Creative Benefits 21 Social Benefits 21 The Playful Mindset 24 5 Excuses 25 Excuse 1: It’s Not Part of My Standards 25 Excuse 2: Administrators Won’t Allow It 29 Excuse 3: I Don’t Have Time 30 Excuse 4: Play Isn’t on “the Test” 32 Excuse 5: Life Isn’t Always Fun 34 6 Reframing PLAY 36 Section 2 Play Inspires Creativity Creativity Inspires Play Remember when you needed a tent, but had no tent? You found chairs and blankets and made one. You played and solved a problem through critical thinking using the materials you had. 7 Friday Afternoons and Monday Mornings 45 Taking Risks with a Full Toolbox 46 Creativity is Not the Degree to Which You Can Create Art 47 Lookin’ with Fresh Eyes 48 8 Begin with the Experience 53 Draw Your Own Lines. Insert Your Own Squiggle. 54 9 Variations on Play in the Classroom 56 10 Creativity as Discovery and Invention 60 Careful, Though 62 Authenticity 62 Flow 63 A Question About Flow in Schools 64 11 Make Time for What Matters 65 Intermission: A Story 66 Plan, Do, Review 67 A Creativity Disclaimer 68 Student Choice 68 “Nothing Worth Doing is Easy” 70 12 Finding Balance 71 It’s OK to Not Have All the Answers 72 Failure 73 Play is for All Ages 76 Wrapping It Up 78 Section 3 Play Builds Trust Trust Builds Opportunities for Play . . . in ourselves, students, parents, colleagues, and administration. If we constantly doubt one another’s abilities, motives, judgments, and qualifications, how can we move forward together? 13 Play Builds Trust 83 14 Don’t Sit and Get 85 Benefits of Physical Play 89 Physical Play Improves Our Intellectual Capacity 89 Physical Play Builds Emotional Intelligence 90 Physical Play Helps Us Build Friendships 90 Physical Play Develops Our Moral Character 91 Physical Play Promotes Physical Wellness 91 Physical Play is a Catalyst for Joy 91 15 A Story about Trust 93 16 Administrators Must Trust . . . 101 17 Teachers Can Trust . . . 105 18 Parents Can Trust . . . 112 Newsletters 112 Positive Phone Calls 113 Sneak a Peek 113 Parent Play Days 114 19 Students Already Trust . . . 115 Section 4 Play Builds Relationships Relationships Are Strengthened Through Play Our students are humans before they get to us, and they’re still humans when they leave. It will do us well to remember that fact more than their test scores, data, and grades. 20 Our Biological Predilection 119 A Conversation 119 Hunter-Gatherers: We’re More Alike Than You Think 121 A Story About Cats 125 21 The Impact of the GERM 127 22 Love First, Teach Second 130 Confession 133 23 Play Personalities 136 The Joker 138 The Kinesthete 139 The Explorer 140 The Competitor 140 The Director 141 The Collector 141 The Artist/Creator 141 The Storyteller 142 24 The Theme Park Experience 146 Smile 147 Say Their Name 147 Make Others Feel Important–and Do It Sincerely 148 25 Learning with Them, Alongside Them 149 Fire and Brimstone 149 Authenticity 150 The Relationship Epilogue 154 Section 5 Play Builds Community Communities Are Strengthened When We Play We live and interact with others–locally, regionally, and globally. Play helps us shape a mindset of advocacy, awareness, sensitivity, and compassion for all. 26 Relevance and the Four-Legged Stool 157 27 Fostering a Sense of Belonging 163 Bravery Badges 164 28 Getting to Know Students Personally 167 Play Reveals Thinking 169 Play Strengthens Social Skills 170 Play Creates Connections 171 29 Supporting Academic Success 172 Feedback for Growth, Not Grades 174 Scores and Career Goals 178 30 Knowing Students’ Names 181 Greeting Students 182 Nicknames 183 Cheering for One Another 184 31 Creating Interesting and Applicable Lessons 186 32 Beyond the Red School Door 190 33 Across the Country, and Around the World 195 Global School Play Day 195 Global Read Aloud 196 Global Maker Day 197 Section 6 Play Nurtures Growth Growth Shapes Our Play We can always be better. Play helps us to grow. 34 The Truth About Success 201 Blubber and a Little Grit 204 35 Encourage a Spirit of Growth 207 36 Your Brain, an Infomercial 211 Your Brain Makes an Oops 212 Wait, So What About Tests? What About Grades? 213 Learning Thresholds? 214 The Power of Our Words 216 37 Creating a Culture of Growth Through Play 217 Modeling Inquiry with a WISH 219 Playful Communication and Collaboration 220 Multiple Playful Paths 220 Accessible Play 223 Playful Curricular Integration 224 The Language of Playful Teaching 225 Play is Valued as a Way to Assess Learning 227 38 A Lesson of Play: Nurturing Growth for an Administrator 230 The Playful Mindset 234 Section 7 Get Out There and Play! “She could never go back and make some of the details pretty. All she could do was move forward and make the whole beautiful.” –Terri St. Cloud 39 The Playful Mindset 239 The Playful Mindset 240 40 Look for Playful Moments (Awareness) 242 Challenge #1 Bravery Badges 242 Challenge #2: Determine the Play Personality Types in My Class. Use That Information to Invite Comfortable Play for All 243 Challenge #3 Celebrate the Random 246 Challenge #4 Follow and Interact with Playful Educators Online 247 41 Time, Space, Opportunity (Intentionality) 248 Challenge #5 Gather Ye Rosebuds, Errr . . . Tools for Play 248 Challenge #6 Rethink the Rules with Game Adaptations 249 Challenge #7 Take a Walk “Art”side 250 Challenge #8 Musical Chair Mashup 251 42 Play, Mess Up, Learn, Repeat (Process) 252 Challenge #9 Breakout EDU 252 Challenge #10 Play-Doh Elephant Challenge 252 Challenge #11 Card House Challenge 253 Challenge #12 Awesome Squiggles/Virtual Valentines/Gingerbread Communities 254 Gingerbread Communities 254 Awesome Squiggles 254 Virtual Valentine Exchange 255 43 The More We Play, the More Playful We Become (Habit) 256 Challenge #13 Reflect on the Language in Your Classroom 256 Challenge #14 Sculpt and Scoot!!!! 258 Challenge #15 How Did You Play to Learn Today? 258 Challenge #16 Play History Analysis 259 44 Play Makes You Happy. Happy People Play. (Results) 260 Challenge #17 Host a Tiny Art Show 260 Challenge #18 Tape Art Museum 260 Challenge #19 Destination Learning 261 Challenge #20 Make a Mark 261 45 Get Out There and Play 263 Appendix A: Southernisms and Their Meanings 265 Appendix B: The Playful Classroom Teacher’s Reading Guide 271 References 273 Index 277
