Playing is not enough · Fri Mar 24, 20:44 by Eleri Straker
A large number of my brightest Year 9 kids disappeared today, all going off to Belgium to visit the Trenches. Having spent weeks introducing them to the likes of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, I hope that they understand the enormity of what they are about to see. However, a small number of their classmates remained. And I do mean a small number: about a quarter of the class were left behind. What was interesting, however, was the concern that those jumping ship had. They were concerned about what the rest of us would do in their absence. In fact, they were so bothered that several of them said that if we did anything fun, then they would not bring me back any chocolates! Threat indeed!
The threat might have been light-hearted, but there was some basis to their anxiety. Over the past months I have had several students from other classes asking to transfer into mine. When questioned about their motives, the answer invariably has been that they know that my class do “fun” things!
I find this intriguing as I frequently feel that I don’t ‘do’ fun. What I do feel that I do, or at least try to do, is “Interesting”. True, I have been known to stand on chairs and declaim Shakespeare or burst into song… but there has always been a reason. (Kids remember the unusual, and doing something different will implant an image in their brains that they will not hurriedly forget!)
But doing “fun” suggests playing. Which does have its place, and I have occasionally been accused of playing in my lessons, but you can’t play unless you know what you’re doing. I have seen colleagues ‘play’ in their lessons, determined to make their teaching fun, but it frequently becomes apparent that the fun is just that, fun and nothing else, as the subject knowledge does not match their desire to entertain.
In fact I’ve just watched a TV programme which was presented by a chap whose teaching technique involves a great deal of playing. It’s fascinating to watch, but listening to him speak, I can’t help but feel that the showmanship has taken over from the educating. If there is no substance or depth behind the “fun”, then it becomes an empty exercise in showing off, similar to the kind of performance we are all guilty of when Ofsted appears!
Children can do fun without help from us. It’s our job to educate and not be stand-up comedians. It’s our job to inspire and to create interest. Fascinating really that that is what my kids have deemed is “fun.”
Oh and if you’re interested, while they were all buying chocolates in Brugge, the rest of us looked at the story of Dracula and examined its gothic elements…as depicted in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer! Think I’ll still get my chocolates?
