Being a part of this coursework and collaboration has been so much more than I could have imagined. I had no idea what to expect, but I am so glad I signed up. I feel very fortunate to have had Yvonne at the helm. We all know about the importance of play and of choice, but it is so easy to lose sight of that; to get caught up in the rigor of it all. The best learning happens when there is a combination of the two. It is motivating for the children and for us. I love the idea of allowing children to create their own learning experience.
Watching my students, and the students in other classrooms, engage in playful learning was really powerful. Kids are more comfortable taking risks and often don’t feel the same pressure. I think so many of us get caught up in what learning (and the evidence of it) should look like. To spend time focusing on what the learning looks like when we give the children choice and opportunity to be more creative, playful and thoughtful is huge. Being in classrooms and seeing the stations, and the poetry comics and seeing kids acting out their own writing was incredible. I tried all three, and really can’t wait to try more next year. I also hope to have the opportunity to dig deeper and continue the conversation next year.
There are a lot of connections between Responsive Classroom and the idea of playful learning. Choice is certainly forefront in RC, so it is something I have used more often in the last couple of years, and this was an important reminder of how valuable that is.