The concept of play isn't new in the classroom- but in the 'test everything that resembles learning' era it is harder to validate time for play.
We need to make sure (in our struggle to think out of a box and shove art into a testing bubble) that we make time for the importance of PLAY. Art lends itself to play with the different materials, media, and technologies we have available to us. We connect! We reconstruct! We blow thoughts up, rearrange them, and come up with brilliant ideas and works of art. Kids learn better (and knowledge sticks with them longer) when we make sure the power of play is added into our units and projects. Free days to experiment with new media, catapults, art with food, pop-up art shows, spur of the moment competitions, chalk days, and aesthetic walks are ways to incorporate the power of play into learning opportunities in the art room. We talk about the power of play being important to students... but did you ever stop to think that it is important to YOU? Tell stories, engage with the students, try new things. Our teaching styles get stale without enjoyment. I've been known to rock a banana costume, sing loudly, and dance around the classroom. How do you play?
1 Comment
Christie Cochren
3/19/2016 06:55:11 pm
Kerri Banana :P
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AuthorArtist living and teaching in Georgia. Archives
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