The festive season is upon us and we know that primary teachers across the land are flat out trying to keep some academics going, amidst the Christmas concert preparations—pardon me, Winter Celebrations. Then it’s the small gifts for parents, special art activities, and so on. It’s important, all these fun things—didn’t William Glasser list “fun” as one of his basic needs, along with love and belonging, and a sense of power over your life choices?

But do we even have time for fun? Many are unhappy with our schools. Hard to tell—is it just the ease with which people can broadcast their complaints in the Internet age? Are kids really in such bad shape, leaving high school?

Here in British Columbia we have the odd effect that parents in general like their child’s teacher, but the system as a whole, not so much. Not a week goes by without some soul-searching as to how education has lost its way: This morning’s program on the radio chided teachers for teaching math in a way that leaves parents at a loss. Last year it was the Alberta secondary teacher that famously gave his students zeros for missed tests and assignments, against his district’s policy. He was fired, but immediately snapped up by a private school. Parents were baffled by the leniency his board required. Really?

And now in the US we have the increasing controversy about the Common Core State Standards—whether it’s the onerous assessments, or the sheer mishandling or lack of research evidence, teachers and administrators all share anxiety about an initiative that does not prescribe which materials to use, or which approaches, but which would strive to put American kids out on top in global competitiveness. Early scores though are discouraging.

p: ashleyrose via photopin cc

Plenty of research over the years has shown that the classroom teacher, the sheer excellence of this person and his or her approach, will make all the difference. When people think back to amazing teachers they’ve had, they know this involves classroom management, proactive handling of discipline issues, and yes, “fun.” It requires being an inspiring human being.

This isn’t something a state can mandate—being amazing—but there are a few significant ways teachers can inspire their students and offer activities which truly engage every single child, whether the most clever or the most needy. Permit me to summarize a few of these here.

1. Be a real person. Yes, your children will love it if you bring pictures of your pet and tell silly stories about it. Yes, you have to ham it up quite a bit regardless of the topic, use a lot of different facial expressions, be dramatic, alter your voice (no, I’m not speaking about yelling). Yes, it’s pretty much the “Sesame Street entertainer” shtick that we are doing. But it gives you and your kids lots to laugh about, to be amazed about, even to be sad about. “Variety is the spice...” and all that jazz. Eat a good breakfast —you are giving it your all.
   
   
2. Don’t overdo it with accounting style approaches. This refers especially to discipline issues. In my travels in many classrooms, I have seen people burden themselves and their children with elaborate schemes for keeping track of infractions. Watch out—what you focus on is what you get more of!
   
   Of course you must follow school procedures regarding major items, but if you are “being real,” your kids will quickly learn that sometimes different students do get a different response depending on what is going on. And try to help individuals ‘save face’ by going over issues privately—and never in anger. Kids can read your inner vibe, they smell falsehood with animal-like instinct. If you truly love your children (yes, this is your job), you can dish it out as needed in a caring manner. Sometimes hugs are involved. Share joy, not negativity.
   
   
3. Use stories. Some have formalized this, in that as humans we are uniquely attuned to narrative. Some are using this for social goals—we’ve studied self-regulation for decades, but put some catchy terms with it, and even little kids can practice getting it together. But I’d go further: in addition to these various classroom practices, please use really great and engaging stories with your children every day—stories you love, whether old or new, that are guaranteed crowd-pleasers. Curious George comes to mind or Warton and Morton for older levels; there are many to choose from.
   
   It appears teachers have left many of these behind because they don’t fit this week’s theme, or have certain selected vocabulary involved—too bad! I have repeatedly seen the most disruptive and aggressive children fall quiet under the spell of a good story read with power and emotion. Nothing like that moment when you leave off in the chapter book and the kids gasp, “Don’t stop!!!” Surely we can find time for this. Besides, Richard Allington agrees with me.
   
   
4. Share joy. Somehow we have gotten really bogged down. Specialists want their field put ‘up high’ in the scheme of things—the scientists say we have to create science literacy so our educated citizens can deal with the mass of alarming choices coming up in the next decades —and I agree. The phys-ed people say we need daily P.E., but we know that hopping all over the room and laughing like crazy counts, too.
   
   Your kids will know, “Play it my way and we can have some fun.” They will prove to you early in the year (however you choose to dramatize this, methods are readily at hand)—that they can share a huge laugh and giggle fits and be ready to work instantly. “Wow! Look at you guys!” (See number one.)

We all want “all those goals” that both the Common Core and the specialists say we need. But approaching our work in a piecemeal manner, trying to do the accounting to add it all up, piling one small unit on top of another, is hampering our amazingness.

Academics balanced with “fun stuff”—isn’t it every teacher’s quest? We want all our kids to enjoy school, to really love it, and not only those smart little girls, teacher pleasers who seem to be “made for school” from day one. It’s the holistic approach we must defend, in the face of these demands. As a favorite administrator used to say, “Teach less, better.”

Linda Rightmire offers workshops and mentoring sessions on a structured partner reading approach that emphasizes Allington’s Six Elements of Reading Instruction. She also tutors students in individual and group reading sessions, and works as a teacher on call in the Kamloops-Thompson School District in British Columbia. Her articles have appeared in the regional daily newspaper and elsewhere.