The Importance of Play!

It's summer! Time to play! Many teachers are celebrating their last day of school this week. Concordia and UNL graduated talented teachers two weeks ago. Our family vacationed in Italy last week, enjoying some play time together!

How do students play over the summer? Bicycles, skateboards, baseball, softball, videogames, and very creative play. The Teaching Channel offers Five Ways to Encourage Summer Reading and Writing so kids don't fall behind when school is out.

How do teachers play over the summer? After you vacation, consider creating a teacher website, or playing with some new apps you might integrate in the fall! I am excited to play with a new Chromebook this summer as teachers get ready for 1:1 Chromebook implementation. Guy and I will help integrate technology into Social Studies for the coming year. We will play with new apps (Apple and Google) as we teach iPads (and Chromebooks) in the Classroom. Check out some Chrome Extensions you may like to use in Google.

This week I was intrigued by research from Henriksen, Mishra and colleagues in the Deep-Play Research Group at Michigan State. In Rethinking Technology and Creativity in the 21st Century  these authors claim that "deep" or "transformational" play is open-ended to inspire creativity. They note that play is voluntary, intrinsically motivating, engages mind and body, and is imaginative. Play is a way we bring understanding to the world. When we work with teachers we always allow them to play with devices and apps to learn how they work and begin to feel comfortable using them. Rather than feeling they must answer every question, teachers can encourage students to play with new devices, apps, or sites themselves. The play process is essential to alleviate fear of breaking devices or feelings of inability when using technology.

So play this summer! Have fun! Grow professionally! Try something new!