When I am not advocating better pay and treatment for teachers, I coach singing. This week began my second term where these conversations ensued:
Are you ready to return to school? No, I really don’t like it. Did you have a great break from school? No, it wasn’t long enough. Do you love returning to school? Not really. It’s just boring and not much fun. From a six year old: the only part of school which is fun is recess.
Yet every January the public schools begin the new calendar year with the same ol’, same ol’. Each year the expectations kids will become engaged in January are the same as the ones in August. And yet, the majority of our school-aged children dread the classroom. Why?
It’s really quite simple: testing, testing, testing. Add to that the lack of creativity in bringing the F word back into the classroom. Yes, FUN. How do you avoid this conundrum?
Walk in the shoes of your students. Do you want to sit in a row or a circle for weeks at a time? How would you like a test every day? Change it up! Sit on the floor, bring bean bags, wear pajamas or at least on one day per week, let the students guide the learning. You may be amazed in the outcome. Gather up your student leadership and colleagues to design units of study which reside outside the usual vanilla envelope. Don’t be afraid to rock that crazy, at times unstable educational boat. You will enjoy your job more and perhaps when kids come to my voice studio, they will be clamoring to return to the classroom.
“RESCUE THE TEACHER, SAVE THE CHILD!” raises issues and identifies solutions for students, parents, teachers and administrators. Available at Barnes & Noble/Amazon.