Shows teachers how and why they should bring play into the classroom to make learning meaningful, relevant, and fun. Research studies show that all students—young and old, rich and poor, urban and rural—benefit immensely from classrooms filled with art, creativity, and laughter. Fun, playfulness, creative thinking, and individual expression reinforce positive experiences, which in turn lead to more engaged students, better classroom environments, and successful learning outcomes. Designed for K-12 educators, The Playful Classroom describes how teachers can develop a playful mindset for giving students meaningful, relevant and fun learning experiences. This unique real-world guide provides you with everything you need to incorporate engaging, hands-on lessons and creative activities, regardless of the level and subject you teach. Building on contemporary and seminal works on learning theory and play pedagogy, the authors explain how to inspire your students by bringing play. into your classroom. This clear, user-friendly guide supplies practical strategies and effective solutions for adding the missing ingredients to your classroom culture. Access to the authors’ companion website provides videos, learning experiences, and downloadable teaching and learning resources. Packed with relatable humor, proven methods, and valuable insights, this book enables you to: Provide meaningful experiences that will benefit students both in school and later in life Combine the principles of PLAY with traditional curricula to encourage creative learning Promote trust, collaboration, and growth in students Develop a playful mindset for bringing the arts into every lesson Foster critical thinking in any school community The Playful Classroom: The Power of Play for All Ages is a must-have resource for K-12 educators, higher education professionals, and readers looking for education-based professional development and training resources.

Play is serious business. Whether it's reenacting a favorite book (comprehension and close reading), negotiating the rules for a game (speaking and listening), or collaborating over building blocks (college and career readiness and STEM), Kristi Mraz, Alison Porcelli, and Cheryl Tyler see every day how play helps students reach standards and goals in ways that in-their-seat instruction alone can't do. And not just during playtimes. "We believe there is play in work and work in play," they write. "It helps to have practical ways to carry that mindset into all aspects of the curriculum." In Purposeful Play, they share ways to: optimize and balance different types of play to deepen regular classroom learning teach into play to foster social-emotional skills and a growth mindset bring the impact of play into all your lessons across the day. "We believe that play is one type of environment where children can be rigorous in their learning," Kristi, Alison, and Cheryl write. So they provide a host of lessons, suggestions for classroom setups, helpful tools and charts, curriculum connections, teaching points, and teaching language to help you foster mature play that makes every moment in your classroom instructional. Play doesn't only happen when work is over. Children show us time and time again that play is the way they work. In Purposeful Play, you'll find research-driven methods for making play an engine for rigorous learning in your classroom.

Help students and educators cope with fear in the classroom with this up-to-date new resource In The Courageous Classroom: Creating a Culture of Safety for Students to Learn and Thrive, community psychiatrist Dr. Janet Taylor and nationally acclaimed educator, Jed Dearybury deliver a concise and insightful take on the culture of fear in schools around the country. You'll learn about the various ways fear is present in students and educators, practical tools and strategies for educators to cope with fear and anxiety in the classroom, the reality of racism, homophobia and microaggressions and their impact on learning, and how to create a landscape of calm in your classroom. This important book will show you: The difference between fear and anxiety and how to respond to both How to create social-emotional learning environments where students feel mentally and physically safe Why, despite schools being safer than ever, students and educators fear for their personal safety How to manage educator stress, fear, and anxiety in a time of increasing coverage of school shootings Perfect for K-12 public school educators, Courageous Classrooms will also earn a place in the libraries of educators in training and parents with school-age children who wish to better help children cope with fear.

A practical book for teachers consisting of 10 YC and TYC articles on the importance of integrating rich content-based, teacher-guided instruction with meaningful child-centered play to nurture children's emerging capabilities and skills.

This book invites readers to consider the possibilities for learning and growth when artists and arts educators come into a classroom and work with teachers to engage students in drama, dance, visual art, music, and media arts. It is a nuts-and-bolts guide to arts integration, across the curriculum in grades K-12, describing how students, teachers, and artists get started with arts integration, work through classroom curriculum involving the arts, and go beyond the typical "unit" to engage in the arts throughout the school year. The framework is based on six years of arts integration in the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE). Renaissance in the Classroom: *fully explains the planning, implementation, and assessment processes in arts integration; *frames arts integration in the larger context of curriculum integration, problem-based learning, and the multiple intelligences; *provides the theoretical frameworks that connect standards-based instruction to innovative teaching and learning, and embeds arts education in the larger issue of whole school improvement; *blends a description of the arts integration process with personal stories, anecdotes, and impressions of those involved, with a wealth of examples from diverse cultural backgrounds; *tells the stories of arts integration from the classroom to the school level and introduces the dynamics of arts partnerships in communities that connect arts organizations, schools, and neighborhoods; *offers a variety of resources for engaging the arts--either as an individual teacher or within a partnership; and *includes a color insert that illustrates the work teachers, students, and artists have done in arts integration schools and an extensive appendix of tools, instruments, Web site, contacts, and curriculum ideas for immediate use. Of primary interest to K-12 classroom teachers, arts specialists, and visiting artists who work with young people in schools or community arts organizations, this book is also highly relevant and useful for policymakers, arts partnerships, administrators, and parents.

GAMES OF KNOWING are more than just fun activities to enliven your classroom- they open students to the key concepts of your Theory of Knowledge course! Use play-based learning to help students engage and experience the fundamentals of TOK! Match the Areas of Knowledge to fit games into all areas of the curriculum! Launch meaningful discussion out of fun and energetic activities! These games have been played and tested with high school students of the IB Diploma Programme for more than three years. Each game also includes a list of variations for you to tailor your experience, whether you need a high-energy whole-class activity or a quiet, reflective warm-up. A summary of essential understanding also helps to guide your follow-up into purposeful and targeted explorations of knowledge. GAMES OF KNOWING - for any class that wants to PLAY with KNOWLEDGE!

Do you find yourself wanting more out of life? It’s time to bring play to your every day Play is not just for kids! There are many reasons we need play in our lives. The Playful Life shows you why and how to bring more playfulness to all aspects of your life. You’ll explore how to create meaningful, relevant, and fun experiences for yourself and others through both a playful mindset and playful behaviors. Through research and 20+ years of teaching children and adults, authors Dr. Julie Jones and Jed Dearybury have found that play is not only fun, it’s essential to a full life. In this book, they share their knowledge and inspire you to reflect on the need for connection and joy for healthy living through play. This book will equip you with new definitions, ideas, and ways of thinking about play for your daily life. With a relaxed tone, comical banter, and real talk, the authors encourage new understandings about what play is and empower you to make more playful choices. If you strive to find balance, overcome stress, and enjoy each day through play—The Playful Life is a must read for your life journey! Learn what play means and why it’s so essential to our everyday lives—at every age Discover the incredible benefits of play to your physical and mental health Get ideas for incorporating play into your everyday life at work, at home, or when you’re out and about Begin healing past traumas and grow into the person you are meant to be—through play and playful living! Building on the popular book The Playful Classroom, this is a new and exciting take on what play does for all of us-- physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively.