Play, for the sake of it!

I am so serious when I teach.  I really need to loosen up.  One way I try to laugh more is reading funny books.  Right now I'm reading The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin.  There is a ton of sarcasm which requires a lot of inferring.  So, it's a great interactive read aloud.

    Lately, I feel like all the joy in learning is being sucked up by data analysis and close reading.  Don't get me wrong, these teaching tools have a place.  But, like anything else in education, once a shift has been made we educators, and our community, tend to beat a dead horse with the latest educational practice.  In protest, and just to play it up on a Friday, I decided to turn on a song that reminded me of the characters and tone in this book.  The song "Ain't Nobody Here But us Chickens"  is a jaunty tune that requires one to shake a tail feather just a little while listening.  Some students just sat there or hid under a table, because they were literally floored by my behavior.  Others relished the opportunity to dance and celebrate a little. If you need a happy little tune to lighten your mood, try listening to this forgotten gem.  If you are teaching second grade or higher, I recommend this book for some clever writing and mysterious twists.  The characters are simply hilarious.