Monday, October 31, 2011

Let Kids be Kids

Caplin Family Pumpkin
Our school had their "Harvest Party" today and yes our students still dress up in costumes and yes we had a wonderful parade throughout the school and ended up outside on the playground to tons of parents taking pictures (it is similar to the red carpet experience).  Yes we had great food (peanut free of course) and finally yes we played many fun games including Mad Libs!  Oh yea, and YES I am tired, but I have to say sometimes in education we just need to allow students to be students or better yet: kids to be kids!

Today was a GREAT example. We had a normal Monday morning and my class did wonderful with prime and composite numbers in math, shortened library with Mr. Prosser where they are playing the Amazing Race with QR Codes and right before lunch we talked about Letters to the Editors.

On to the "Harvest Party" the students loved it! Almost all of my students dressed up in costumes and some of them got together to make their costumes.  A group of four girls were different colors of nail polish and a group of boys were the Blue Men Group including Poppa Smurf!  They had a wonderful time, laughed, enjoyed being kids and most of all just had fun!  Our staff dressed up as farmers and I of course was very excited about that choice and was ready to go with jeans, flannel shirt and pigtails.  It was a wonderful day!!

Random Thoughts:  I was not excited for the party and in fact I don't like Halloween and never have.  Ask my own kids, thank goodness for my mom because she made their costumes every year when they were young!  However, in this world of high stakes testing, pushing learning from all angles, and taking the fluff out of learning I have to say today was awesome!  Kids were kids and that is what school should be about.  PS:  I didn't assign any homework so I hope all of them are outside right now Trick or Treating and going to remember to bring me a Take 5 or Almond Joy tomorrow-then all will be perfect.

BFF having a wonderful day!




Blue Men Group on their own terms!
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3 comments:

  1. MaryOctober 31, 2011 at 8:14 PM

    I love days when our kids just get to be kids! Like you we got through some academics but then embraced the celebration!
    Trying very hard to incorporate more learning through play. Was given this article to read and put some things into perspective for me:
    http://m.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/10/all-work-and-no-play-why-your-kids-are-more-anxious-depressed/246422/

    Love that you are still blogging! Keep it up!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MandyOctober 31, 2011 at 9:13 PM

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts and I agree with them all. It is very fun watching kids be kids. I had an administrator once who often said, "School is life, not preparation for life." When you think about this from a child's point of view, it all makes sense.

    ReplyDelete
  3. TaraNovember 2, 2011 at 3:17 PM

    The storm stole our Halloween...it was great to see your kids make the most of theirs, though!

    ReplyDelete

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