We Didn’t Start the Fire

(but we’re trying to fight it)

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Why PLAY is Fundamental

In Age of

Coronavirus

Kristi Mraz

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The pandemic has pushed into a position of passivity, of reacting.

You cannot hit a moving target.

Unless your aim is beyond it.

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What are we aiming for past just this year?

What do we dream for the future of schooling? What do we dream for our children?

• A more equitable and just school experience?
• A movement towards anti-racist/anti-bias spaces, language and methods?
• Better, more responsive instructional methods?
• Stronger home and community connections?
• Empathy and compassion?
• Innovative thinkers?
• Resilience, flexibility, infrastructure?

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Moving towards play based practices is a movement towards fixing a broken system.

“The children were followed through grade 4, and those from the play based programs excelled over the others… including being more advanced in reading and mathematics, and being better adjusted socially and emotionally in school.”

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https://deyproject.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/readinginkindergarten_online-1.pdf

“...emerging evidence from brain sciences suggests that playing… plays a significant role in the development of the brain’s structure and chemistry”

Play for a Change

Stuart Lester and Wendy Russell

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“Children overcome feelings of powerlessness by playing powerfully.”

The Opposite of Worry

Lawrence Cohen

How do we stay focused on the potential?

Every human being has a narrative that both describes the past and prescribes future actions.

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We have a choice to make in the stories we tell ourselves, our children, and our communities.

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We have a choice to make.

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Will this year be the year where we only “make due”?

We have a choice to make.

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Or will this year be a year where we “make better”?

This is in our control.

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What stories do we have that shape us?

Record a stream of thinking.

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OR

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Record words that come to mind when you think of this school year

Time to draw, sketch, write or talk:

Now, look back:

1. Highlight key words and phrases. Look for patterns.
2. Ask yourself, “When was the last time (if ever) I felt this way?
3. Ask yourself, “What did I do the last time I had these feelings? What was the outcome?”

I feel anxious that i won’t be able to make this work. What if all my ideas totally bomb out? What if I can’t handle it? How will I be able to take care of my toddler, my home, my health and be the financial breadwinner? I am so worried about safety: physical safety, financial safety, emotional safety… how will I teach?!

Now, look back:

• Highlight key words and phrases. Look for patterns.
• Ask yourself, “When was the last time (if ever) I felt this way?
• Ask youself, “What did I do the last time I had these feelings? What was the outcome?”

I feel anxious that i won’t be able to make this work. What if all my ideas totally bomb out? What if I can’t handle it? How will I be able to take care of my toddler, my home, my health and be the financial breadwinner? I am so worried about safety: physical safety, financial safety, emotional safety… how will I teach?!

Take a deep breath.

This is not that.

This is hard, but you have done hard things before.

Shifting the Narrative

Create your mantra.

According to John Hattie’s research (2018) what are the two things that have the greatest impact on student achievement?

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Teacher Estimates of Student Achievement (1.44)

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And

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Collective Teacher Efficacy (1.39)

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Psssst: both of these are narratives

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.

Barack Obama