Priority # 1.......Fun

As the school year begins I am always looking for good ways to get the kids "into" my class.  I came home the other day and my 3rd grade daughter was ecstatic about the first day of school.  She was so excited about her class and all the things they were going to learn.  Also that day I talked to one of her friends and I asked how was her first day, she paused and said "amazing".  After thinking for a minute I had to ask what they were so excited about in school.  They both answered with smiles "cursive".   I started laughing because I was expecting just a fun activity that they did on the first day and maybe I could steal a good idea.  I can't compete with cursive.


That got me thinking, young kids really do love school.

It really made me think about how excited kids are in the elementary school to go and learn at school. How come as kids get older, school gets boring and they lose that excitement to learn?  I guess it is because elementary teachers are magic.  They play games, do activities, and keep the kids interested as they learn. How come the older kids get, the more we just give them information and they have to give it back?  Is it just the structure or the ease of creating lessons in that fashion?

Do your kids have fun in your class?  Some teachers might say that their job is not to have fun, it is to teach the kids.  I argue they are one in the same.  The more the students enjoy what they are doing the more they will learn.  School can and should be fun, if it isn't you are doing something wrong.  So whether you teach kindergarteners or seniors, make it your top priority to have fun with your students and everything else will fall into place.