Learning as the intersection of work and play, part 3: Queries, freedom, and bushwhacking

If we don’t challenge students with queries that dig deep, we limit ourselves in many ways. One is that we limit their ability to see themselves as critical thinkers, as capable of answering big questions. The second is that we limit the opportunity to hear their voices. As Shalaby says, the teacher is the outsider in a classroom of children, not the other way around. In a classroom of children, the restraint of children’s voices is chosen ignorance. Continue reading Learning as the intersection of work and play, part 3: Queries, freedom, and bushwhacking

Learning as the intersection of work and play, Part 2: Run for the race, not the finish line

Sometimes it’s important to run directly and cross the finish line, to test yourself, to gauge where you are. More often, however, it is critical to explore different routes, to try new strategies, review certain courses, to take the adventure where you need it to go. Continue reading Learning as the intersection of work and play, Part 2: Run for the race, not the finish line

What is learning? The intersection of work and play

As I have progressed as a teacher, the most valuable teaching and learning accomplished in my classroom have always felt like play, even when it is work. I think that true learning is the intersection of work and play. If the goal of teaching is to enhance learning, than our goal should be to create that intersection of work and play every day. Continue reading What is learning? The intersection of work and play