I think that success is having fun.
—Bruno Mars
Are We Having Fun?
Our family sometimes went on outings when I was a little girl. When it was time to leave the place my dad always said, “Well, I think we’ve squeezed all the fun out that we can.”
I remember my brother rationalizing, “But it doesn’t close for another three hours. Can’t we stay?”
My mom would usually ask, “Are we having fun?”
Absolutely, and we didn’t want to leave.
Dad was ready with an explanation. “We’ve already squeezed all the fun out of today. If we stay, we won’t keep having fun.”
He said it again and again over the years—“Life is too short not to have fun.”.
In education classes, I was taught that fun was a dirty f-word and shouldn’t be considered when planning lessons. Given my history with fun being prioritized, it never really sat right with me.
Then we adopted our daughters as older children from foster care and life got rocky. “Are you having fun?” my mom asked several months after they arrived.
I don’t remember my response, but I do remember sobbing on my drive home. No, I was not having fun.
“Life is too short not to have fun,” Dad reminded me again.
That summer I took an online scrapbooking class called Have More Fun. It seemed apropos, even if I was feeling a little cynical. Unexpectedly, I learned the importance of letting go of unrealistic expectations and the joy of playing around as a way to learn new things.
As articles rolled in from contributors this spring, I saw a pattern of lighthearted fun that comes with letting go of unrealistic expectations and the joy of playing around with new ideas. I hope this issue inspires you to have fun at school—plus more, as always.
Shine on,
Ruth Ayres
Editor in chief
As high school students navigate more rigorous academic tasks and denser curricular material, the occasional three-to-five-minute break delivers a wide range of benefits. Paige Tutt shares brain breaks for high schoolers.
Katie Stoltzfus shares teacher-tested tips for making math fun.
Are your students getting bored with vocabulary routines? Katie Doherty invents a quick and fun game, Vocabrity, to help her middle school students learn words. Download the definition sheet to play this in your classroom.
Consider attending the NCTE-NCTM Joint Conference in Chicago on June 16—18. I’ll be presenting with other Choice Literacy/Numeracy contributors: Jodie Bailey, Becca Burk, Mallory Messenger, and Mandy Robek. We’d love to connect with you!
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Gwen Blumberg shares a school-wide approach to a mock book award experience. This clear step-by-step guide with a rich resource download makes it possible to implement in any school.
Gigi McAllister shares how she helped her students get started with sketchnoting during read aloud time. Perhaps like Gigi you aren’t a natural at this format, but you’ll be inspired by the value and ease of introducing this powerful note-taking technique.
Grammar manipulatives create a helpful scaffold to allow students a chance to play and practice, leading to a greater likelihood of transferring skills to their writing. Patty McGee shares a few ideas for grammar manipulatives in the second installment of the Not Your Granny’s Grammar series.
Choice Numeracy | Jodie Bailey makes a case for purposeful play with her middle school students. To strengthen reading habits, we offer exposure to a wide variety of books, time to read, and opportunities to discuss ideas. In math classrooms, students need similar opportunities to explore and play.
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Joanne Emery thoughtfully plans professional learning experiences using art as a restorative practice. She offers three ideas to create a space where teachers can use the power of art to create and connect.
Coaching Minute | Instructional coach Inga Omondi offers wise (and fun) advice on how to uplift and encourage colleagues.
Quote It:
You can’t stop a teacher when they want something. They just do it.
—J.D. Salinger
That’s all for this week!
