This is a last reminder that the Writing for Charity conference (tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Provo Library) does not require pre-registration (I don't believe). So anyone interested in coming, please do. The more people the merrier, and the more good we do for charity. If you want more information see my last blog post or, even better, visit the event website.
*****
Does anyone else out there suspect that kids are onto something when they say school can be boring? Please, if you're an educator, don't shoot the messenger here. Consider the question honestly. It reminds me of what a fabulous third grade teacher said immediately following a fun lesson on the 12 Labors of Hercules I taught at a school: "I'm sorry guys [about taking them away from the fun of slain Hydras and holding the sky on one's shoulders], but I promise to make math as much fun as I can."
I don't know how to make math fun, though I assume it is possible. The fact that the teacher even thought in terms of fun = furthered learning I took as a fantastic sign. Because I believe that is one of the most overlooked elements of pedagogy: people learn better what they enjoy. Which to me means whether or not the subject matter is inherently interesting to someone, the method of learning can be made fun.
Fun is a sadly rare art of fine teaching.
I mention this because a student of mine showed me this website, FunTheory.com, which is clearly the Cool Thing of This Week. While I do not necessarily endorse Volkswagen as a brand, I think this initiative of theirs is awesome. I hope it's somehow used to restructure the US Department of Education and all state Boards of Education from the ground up.
So to all parents, teachers, and other educators: if you want your students to learn, please, for the sake of all that is holy, make learning fun! Future generations of geniuses will thank us.
*****
Does anyone else out there suspect that kids are onto something when they say school can be boring? Please, if you're an educator, don't shoot the messenger here. Consider the question honestly. It reminds me of what a fabulous third grade teacher said immediately following a fun lesson on the 12 Labors of Hercules I taught at a school: "I'm sorry guys [about taking them away from the fun of slain Hydras and holding the sky on one's shoulders], but I promise to make math as much fun as I can."
I don't know how to make math fun, though I assume it is possible. The fact that the teacher even thought in terms of fun = furthered learning I took as a fantastic sign. Because I believe that is one of the most overlooked elements of pedagogy: people learn better what they enjoy. Which to me means whether or not the subject matter is inherently interesting to someone, the method of learning can be made fun.
Fun is a sadly rare art of fine teaching.
I mention this because a student of mine showed me this website, FunTheory.com, which is clearly the Cool Thing of This Week. While I do not necessarily endorse Volkswagen as a brand, I think this initiative of theirs is awesome. I hope it's somehow used to restructure the US Department of Education and all state Boards of Education from the ground up.
So to all parents, teachers, and other educators: if you want your students to learn, please, for the sake of all that is holy, make learning fun! Future generations of geniuses will thank us.
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