JOSSEY-BASS The Playful Classroom: The Power of Play for All Ages

I bought this for a course I’m taking. So helpful

When I purchased this book, I thought it was just going to be some ideas to incorporate creativity into our lessons so students would have some fun while learning. Boy, was I wrong, and I'm so glad!!Jed and Julie combined the scientific research of play and the pedagogy of the classroom. When was the last time you couldn't put down a book on professional development? Finally, a book filled with pages that hooks the teacher to bring the students back into focus instead of "the test." I learned the difference between playing and playful and its importance. "Play designs the future, inspires creativity, builds trust, strengthens relationships, cultivates community and nurtures growth." You will learn how to incorporate "play" into your lessons to make them more meaningful and the learning unforgettable.With our students becoming more disconnected with the use of technology, this book gives the teacher strategies on how to build community in our classroom, strengthen social skills, create meaningful connections and to cultivate a safe space to allow for mistakes to be made FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS for our students. And don't think this book is written only for the elementary grades because there are specific examples on how to have a practical but playful high school classroom.Finally, at the back of the book, there are LOTS of "challenges" or specific ideas to include in your curriculum/lessons to get you started. I can't encourage you enough to buy this book. Enjoy reading about how to put the fun back in learning and even laugh at the realities of teaching that Jed and Julie share from their own experiences in their classrooms. Buy this book for yourself and your students, you will use it all year to help plan your lessons.

A stick to it reactive math? Rocks to practice spelling? There are no special tools or texts to buy. Anything can be used to bring fun to the classroom!This is definitely NOT a dry textbook intoning about some recycled pedagogy. (Sorry to all the other authors of teacher PD books) This is a chat with your teacher buddies talking about the ways we can return fun to learning and to teaching! Not something new to add, it is remembering that fun learning makes school the best. I read it over the summer and was rejuvenated for the new school year. Jed and Julie make this a fun, informative read!

This reaffirms every teaching belief a good teacher embraces! Children do not need bells and whistles, they need to be children. Learning will happen and we don’t need to cause undo stress for them by teaching in rote, monotone, turn the page fashion. Plenty of wall quotes to help keep teachers and students motivated to achieve. Lots of free authentic ways to incorporate play that embraces all curriculums. As said in the book, this is not one more thing on your plate, it is the plate! Read, try, and watch the learning unfold!

As a pre service teacher I always strived/hoped to be Ms Frizzle in the classroom. 23 years later this book reminded me why? Teaching and learning should be fun and engaging and play is educational. If your are looking to be reignited, reminded what teaching is all about, justified, and/or entertained this the book for you. So ready for the second book to come out!