Play Group 2

Following on from a presentation on Ludosophia – the wisdom gained through playing – that I gave at our last HE Colloquium in the Summer, I had some really interesting conversations with my colleagues. I had ended my presentation which might be described, more accurately, as a provocation with a request;

Researcher Seeks Playmates.

My previous post told the story of the first meeting of the Play Group. This post is a brief update about how the second meeting went. This time, the focus was on spontaneity, improvisation and being ‘in the moment’. Due to work commitments the group numbered slightly fewer than our first outing but this time we were joined by several new members; colleagues from the Faculty of Education, and a Librarian. We obeyed the first universal rule of drama-based work and began in a circle, a unifying shape that brings everyone together. In the circle, after a brief physical warm up, we began to warm up our brains. Or rather, we began to liberate our thoughts and give them free rein. It is surprising how much we are prone to self-censorship in our daily and professional lives. We often check our behaviour and responses, seeking the ‘right one’. Improvisation allows us to say and do things spontaneously and to (re)discover that there often is no right or wrong answer.

I started the first game by stepping into the circle and miming a simple, everyday action; brushing my hair. This immediately raised a laugh from the rest of the group as I have very little hair left! The group then asked the question, “What are you doing?” And I replied with the answer, “Milking a cow”. The next person in the circle then had to perform the action of milking a cow but, when asked what they were doing, had to respond with a different explanation. The third person then takes up the physical action (tickling a tiny elephant for example) but responds to the question, “What are you doing?” with another, different suggestion. And so it goes round the circle.

This simple game actually both illustrates and reveals an awful lot about the value of spontaneity. When people play this game for the first time many of them say that they can’t think of what to do. All that is necessary is for them to think of and demonstrate a simple, everyday action but they are worried about choosing the ‘right’ thing or a clever thing or that others in the group will judge them on their choice. In straightforward terms they over-think things. The game stutters or stops entirely. After a while, as the players relax, they begin to trust their instincts and say the first thing that comes into their heads. The game gains momentum and everyone relaxes and enjoys the juxtapositions that occur.

These juxtapositions can lead to another sort of behaviour that is often seen when young people play this game; the making of a suggestion that is either inappropriate or intended to embarrass the next player. When this occurs it is usually scatalogical in nature. “What are you doing?” The group asks. “Having a poo!” the player replies, gleefully. There are several lessons to be gained from this situation. Firstly, that what goes around comes around, and there is often some payback involved as the mischievous monkey is later given a suggestion even more embarrassing than their own. Secondly, that we sometimes have a level of power over someone else and we can choose to use it kindly or cruelly. The acknowledgement of the the fact that we can sometimes think things that are deemed beyond the pale can also lead to some very fruitful discussions about social mores, acceptable vs unacceptable behaviour or language, and personal prejudices.

Later in the session, as a group, we constructed a story, one word at a time, using the first thing that came to mind. The outcome was surprisingly coherent and developed in terms of the complexity of the language used as we went along. By this time the group had begun to feel more confident in their own improvisational skills and had established a respectful rapport. As a result they created an original story, collaboratively, that entertained us all. In doing so they had also been brought together in collective endeavour. I had a lovely email from one of the participants after the session. In it they said,

“I feel more part of the College community after two of these sessions than I have in the four years that I have worked here.”

That is a story worth telling.

Thinking on one’s feet, being adaptable, and accepting of other people ideas are all essential skills in teaching. Games such as those played in this session help us to develop these qualities. 

Play Group

Following my presentation at the BRADFORD College HE Colloquium in the summer, several of the delegates picked up on my request for research collaborators: “Researcher seeks Playmates” I had said. I was and am interested in the effects and benefits of taking a ludosophical approach to life and work – being playful.

By the end of the day, I had received five expressions of interest in working together. Colleagues from the Early Years team, Opthalmics, Law, and Teacher Education had enquired about what I was planning. What was I planning? Off the cuff, I said, “We’re starting a Play Group for staff” and the seeds of an idea were sown. We would find a space in the busy working week, and we would explore our creativity, try new things, and rediscover our playfulness. By the end of term, several more colleagues had been in contact, and I was committed to setting up the Play Group.

Just as the Autumn term began I convened the first meeting of the BC Play Group. Fourteen colleagues joined me in the rehearsal studio as I set out my ideas for the group. Firstly, this would not be just my ideas; the group is peer-led and everyone is encouraged to bring ideas, games, and activities. Secondly, there are no set outcomes; the whole point is to havesome time away from the demands of our busy workloads. Thirdly, it should be a chance to meet colleagues from other course areas.

We then began the practical element of the session in true drama style; in a circle. Some quick introductions, and straight into the activities. The plan, as far as there was one, was to build a sense of ensemble within the group, just as would happen in a rehearsal room. We walked around the room to get used to the space, making sure to change direction regularly. Then I encouraged the group to make eye contact with one another as they walked. As often happens in this situation, the group began to smile at one another as they met. This led on to them greeting one another with a “Hello” or a “Hi!” I layered onto this the instruction to shake hands with people as they met. In this short sequence we had begun to break the ice in the group, moving from a room of individuals, not all of whom knew each previously, to a group of people now more comfortable with making eye contact, and even physical contact.

The next stage was to ask them to find a way to make their handshakes memorable. I left the instruction quite open but added a couple of suggestions to get things moving; adding a sound, or making the handshake more complicated in some way. The noise level in the group began to rise as people laughed and reacted to one another’s handshake, a good sign that they were becoming more relaxed and comfortable with one another. The final addition to this part of the session was to use the technique known as Boal handshakes, named after Augusto Boal the Brazilian theatre practitioner. This requires the group to move around the space shaking hands with one another as they meet but they can only let go of the person’s hand once they have another hand to shake. This then continues with each encounter in turn. This is a good exercise for bringing a group together as it brings people into closer proximity in a non-threatening and manageable way.

The group discussing Play

After several more, practical ice-breaker activities, and much laughter I asked the group to
consider the following questions (in no particular order):

 What is Play?

 When was the last time you played and how did it make you feel?

 What do you consider to be barriers to being more playful at work?

 Please give an example of when you have used play in your work

 What do you hope to get or gain from these sessions?

 How might you use some of these activities in your work?

 What changes in your work environment would make it more playful?

 Please list three playful activities that you remember from your childhood

 How might this group benefit you in the coming year?

 Please list three activities that you would like to be included in the Play Group

 Please list some of the characteristics or features of playful experiences

 Can play be assessed? If so, how might you assess it?

 Should play be assessed? If yes, why?

The responses to these questions were then shared with the rest of the group to see if any common themes emerged. We then created a physical timeline for the year that incorporated ideas and objectives for
what the group could achieve, along with suggestions for regularity and timing of further sessions. The outcome of this activity was that we now have a potential plan for the year ahead, with milestones and goals that have been generated by the group.

I had jokingly started the session with a flip chart with Aims and Objectives written on it (although there was nothing listed underneath the headings) in a parody of a typical taught session. The point being that these sessions are not about the assessment for learning. However, by the end of the activity we were able to complete the aims and objectives based on what we had done. 

Aims and Objectives

As the session drew to a close, and I tidied up the studio, collecting the pieces of paper on which we had created our timeline, I was pleased to hear my colleagues chatting to one another as they left. “Well, that was fun”, said one. Job done.

“We Never Stop Playing”

The title of this particular post is taken from the final chapter of Play is a Feeling by Brenda Crowe and is a sentiment that I share with the author. I also share her opinion that,

“All of us use different forms of play…more than we realise or care to admit. But it would be even more rewarding if we recognised and acknowledged those times when spontaneous play comes to our aid, for that would help us towards a higher degree of awareness and self-knowledge.” (Crowe, 1983: 148)

Along with developing self-knowledge, play is also a means by which we can make sense of the world we live in. This can be just as important as adults as it is for children. If we were only able to admit it, the modern world is as confusing and challenging to navigate for us as adults as it is for a child. The multiple demands on our time and attention, the pressures of work, and the challenges of family life with all its inherent complications can all increase the level of stress that we feel. The immediacy of 24-hour rolling news can make us feel anxious about events happening many miles away, and social media can overwhelm us with unrealistic expectations.

If we can find a space and a time to play in our busy lives we may be able to dissipate some of the tensions. As Crowe states,

“Real play springs from within us; and one of its many properties, at any age, is to help us to deal with stress.” (1983: 2)

What we need, therefore, is an acceptance of play as a legitimate use of our time, and a better understanding of the benefits to our health and well-being as adults of a regular engagement with the creative and the playful. In his book Why People Play, Ellis notes,

“Play is not completely distinct from non-play or work. It is easy to imagine a setting in which the play of the individual also serves some productive function. When a man is both playing and working, how do we classify the behaviour?” (Ellis, 1973: 21)

Perhaps we are better to see play as having just as much ‘value’ as work? After all, admit it; we never stop playing.

A Clarion Call for Creativity

In October 2016 I was asked to give an address at the CreatEd conference at Bradford College. The event was for trainee teachers from the McMillan Faculty of Education, their tutors, and external visitors from the local arts and education sectors. The conference included speakers from the Bradford Museums and Galleries, a representative of CapeUK (now IVE) an arts brokering service, and a fantastic choir from Fox Hill Primary School. As the point of getting everyone together was to promote creative education, I decided that as the address was to be given at the opening of the event, it should be a provocation; something to get the delegates thinking, and that might stay with them throughout the day.

What follows is an edited version of that address: A Clarion Call for Creativity

Imagine a world without imagination. Imagine a world without art, or music, or
poetry or design. Imagine a world without ideas. Think of a world without  original thought. Imagine a world without creativity.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun” – Albert Einstein

The great Sir Ken Robinson defines creativity as, “The process of having
original ideas that have value.” He says that it differs from imagination, the  ability to bring to mind things that aren’t present, in that creativity involves  doing something. The problem that we face is in the question of who  determines the ‘value’ of the creative process. Not, it would seem, successive  recent Governments or their education advisors. Yet creativity and the many ‘ soft skills’; curiosity, resilience, and flexibility of thinking that are linked with it,  are amongst those most highly valued by employers across the world.

On a global scale, without the different ways that creative thought and the creative process are expressed, we would have no cultural identities. We  would have no stories to tell, no means of marking the milestones in our lives,  and no sense of who we are and what our relationship is with the world. Our  lives would be immeasurably poorer for that. I am sure that no-one here would wish to live in a mono-culture – although this seems to be one of the goals of  Western materialist consumerism. It is merely the illusion of choice. Knock me out in one large shopping centre and wake me up in another one, would I be  able to tell the difference? To limit creativity, to mistrust original thought, to stamp out difference of opinion by calling it dissent is nothing short of fascism.

But I am sure that I am preaching to the Choir here. I may not tell you anything that you don’t know already (so why am I here?) but as Isaac Asimov wrote; “I come here to light a candle in the sunshine” It might add a little to the
brightness. However, I do hope to sound a clarion call for creativity: to agitate and provoke you into action.

As I mentioned just now, a world without creativity is, to me, unthinkable. It is our desire and ability to express our thoughts, ideas and feelings in diverse ways that make us human. To create something new, to imagine the  impossible and make it possible, without that impulse we would never  progress – we might even say that we would not evolve.  “This is all well and good”, you might be thinking, “all very noble but a bit arty-farty. What value does creativity actually have?” I return to my opening  remarks and ask you to imagine a world without creativity or design. For a start I would be standing here, naked, in an empty room, in the dark, talking to myself. The Creative Industries are the second largest sector in the UK  economy, only just behind the financial services, and were the only sector of  the economy that did not go into recession following the financial crash of  2008. Figures from 2014 showed that the Creative Industries were worth £ 84.1bn to the UK economy. We lead the world in design skills, and innovation. TV and Film production with both Downton Abbey and Dr Who conquering the
world’s airwaves, fashion design, textiles, visual arts, product design – look at Apple, the most successful brand on the planet, and whose head of design,  Jonathan Ive, is British – music – Adele’s third album, 25, topped 7 million  sales in under five weeks, (it now hovers somewhere around the 17.5 million  mark) and her second album 21 is the fourth biggest seller of any release by a
UK artist. Hands up who owns an Adele cd. Not bad for someone with only a  passing knowledge of consonants. Let’s not mention Coldplay whose total  worldwide record sales top 80 million.

So, where do all the actors, artists, choreographers, dancers, directors, editors, fashion designers, games developers, graphic designers, journalists, lighting designers, make-up artists, musicians, painters, production designers, songwriters, theatre technicians, and wardrobe assistants all come from?
Where do we provide the opportunities to engage with creative subjects? The EBACC is not the place. This performance measure for schools is awarded when a pupil secures a C grade or above in GCSE English, maths, history or
geography, the sciences or a foreign language. It was introduced six years ago but made compulsory for all pupils who started year 7 in September 2015. The worry is that schools will focus only on what they are being measured on and that this coupled with limited resources will squeeze out arts subjects. OFQUAL, the exams regulator, reports a five-fold drop in the take up
of arts GCSEs in the last year alone. That equates to somewhere in the  region of 46,000 students. The knock on effect of this is a slump in the  number of people going on to study the arts at University or specialist  Conservatoires. This is especially the case in young people from less-affluent backgrounds.  This narrowing of the curriculum in schools, especially in poorly funded,  oversubscribed, over-stretched state schools, is limiting these opportunities further. The reduction and removal of funding to arts providers, out of school provision, and charities is a further attack. The austerity argument is that the arts are a luxury that the nation can ill afford. Winston Churchill is reputed to have said when, in a cabinet meeting during the war, one of his ministers suggested a cut to the arts budget, ”Then, what are we fighting for?”

If children and young people are not able to engage with creative expression as part of their education then we are not giving them an education worth having.

As you are all no doubt aware, children first learn through play. Play and creativity go hand-in-hand, and, like creativity, play can sometimes be viewed as secondary to learning in a formal education setting. Indeed play is sometimes viewed as a triviality; ‘merely playing’, ‘just playing at it’, ‘a bit of a play boy’. But play is a crucial ingredient in learning. Play, in all its forms feeds the creative process; imitative play, object play, word play, and, perhaps most beneficial of all to a child’s development, physical play.

In our increasingly risk-averse and technology driven world we are reducing our children’s opportunities to run and jump and climb, to explore and expand their physical capabilities. No time to play in lessons, no space to play either indoors or out. One report from 2015 stated that applications to sell off school playing fields were being approved at the rate of one every two weeks. More screen time means that our children are at risk of becoming unhealthy, both physically and mentally. A lack of exposure to sunlight, parents driving their children to school, and more time spent indoors playing computer games has resulted in an increase in cases of rickets, that most Victorian of diseases.
NHS figures from 2013 show that there were 833 hospital admissions for  children suffering from the condition. Recent research from Canada suggests that children’s attachment to electronic devices is diminishing their ability to  connect with their parents and peers. They are becoming disengaged from conversations, the ‘back-and-forth’ of family life, which is impeding the  development of their broader social skills. Increases in child obesity and  diabetes, and more and more instances of children showing symptoms of  anxiety and depression are a shameful testament to our lack of care. One in ten children aged between 5 and 16 have a diagnosable mental health  disorder. That is three in every average class. At a conference organised by a faculty named in her honour, it is worth remembering, and celebrating, the  contribution made by Margaret McMillan to the welfare of Bradford’s children. She was instrumental in realising the benefits not only of a good education but
also the importance of developing children’s physical wellbeing through exercise and good diet.

I am not suggesting that we can solve the myriad and complex social and personal problems faced by some of our learners with a bit of singing and  dancing and a tub of glitter. But it might help. The arts offer us all the opportunity to engage with issues and fears; to share the experiences of  others and gain empathy. They allow us to express our emotions, to celebrate our similarities through shared experiences, or to rejoice in our differences.

Martha Graham, the American dancer and choreographer and one of the founding figures in contemporary dance put it like this, “The body says what  words cannot. Dance is the hidden language of the soul, of the body”

I know that, shortly, you will be treated to an example of the work of Kala Sangam, one of several arts organisations in Bradford that promote the use of the arts to enrich our understanding of different cultures. In doing so they  bring young people (and not so young people) together to share in the joy and beauty of poetry, music, art and dance. Mind The Gap work with learning  disabled actors and performers to tell their stories, to share their experiences, and to inspire us and remind us that we all have a place on the stage. Dance United are another organisation that transform the lives of young people and
their families through the arts. Working with young people who are, or are at risk of being, involved with the youth justice system, Dance United use  contemporary dance to offer structure, routine and discipline to people whose lives can often be chaotic. If you have not had the pleasure of seeing the work of these three companies then I urge you to do so at the earliest opportunity.

The benefits to children and young people of participating in the arts are clear to those of us who work in the field. We see increases in the levels of self-confidence, empathy, problem solving, teamwork, and communication skills. Some of the side benefits are seen in improvements in literacy levels,reasoning skills, physical and mental agility, and resilience. In the current  system of test, test, teach to the test, there is little or no room for failure. AsKen Robinson says: “We stigmatize mistakes. Now we are running national education systems where mistakes are the worst things that you can make… and the result is that we are educating people out of their creative capacities.”

And some children can’t handle the fact that they have ‘failed’. The arts allow us to experience failure not as a catastrophe but as a catalyst for change. “If you have never failed at anything then you have never learned.”

How many of the children and young people in our care are denied the opportunity to discover their passions because the schooling system and the pressures of the modern world aim to constrict them? And what are we going
to do about it?

We need to overhaul the education system so that play and creativity are at the heart of the curriculum across all stages. We need to find ways of embedding creativity into the teaching and learning processes. Robinson again, “If you have a more dynamic approach to teaching and learning, if you promote links between disciplines, if you set creative questions for kids to
explore, if you engage their curiosity, if you nurture their imaginations – they become more fully involved and excited about learning and their achievement levels go up. It is a human process, not a mechanical process.”

This needs to happen from the Early Years Foundation stage through Primary school, into Secondary school and onwards into further and higher education, and to carry on into employment. How many of us feel that we have the abilit to be creative in our work roles? How supported are we in this by the institutions in which we work?

So, who is going to effect the necessary change? “Here’s looking at you, kid!” As teachers you have a crucial role to play in the development of the children in your charge. I might even go so far as to say that, along with doctors and
nurses, you have a vital role. You have the responsibility of nurturing those children, nourishing their souls as well as their minds. A good teacher can  make life bearable for a child; a bad teacher can make it unbearable. We all remember the teachers that inspired us, or believed in us, or listened to us.

It is down to each and every one of us to fight for the arts in education. It is down to each and every one of us to allow our students to be creative. It is our duty to stay curious ourselves, to be as excited about learning as we would
hope our students will be. To be prepared to take risks. To be prepared to stand in front of a class and say, “I don’t know the answer to that…but let’shave fun finding out together”.  It will be a challenge to take on the system. Don’t get overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. Be comforted by the fact that you can take small steps, positive steps, and still effect the change. By implementing minor changes  you can make a difference; the small steps are manageable, and will be recognised by others as something that are possible for them too. You can also monitor the effects and reflect on the process, adapting it as you go.

Small, effective changes are preferable to grandiose, sweeping reforms that destroy much more than they create.
Collaboration is key in most creative endeavours so find your self a group of like-minded people to share ideas with, and give and get support. Be generous with your ideas. Be generous with your praise and encouragement
of others. Be kind to yourself.
I hope that at least  some of the above resonates with you, and I would like to read your feedback. Thank you.

All to play for

After three and a bit years, a lot of life getting in the way, and enough self-doubt to stun a gorilla, I have finally finished my Masters in Education.

If you were to ask me if it was worth all the stress, the late nights, and the analysis paralysis, then I would have to say, “Yes!” There were times when I thought that I would never complete the dissertation; times when I could have happily walked away from it all but I am so glad that I didn’t.

Why? Well, partly out of stubbornness; I was not going to lose face and give up. Partly it was because, even in the depths of the dark nights drafting and redrafting paragraphs that seem to become more obfuscated, I still believed that the work was worth it. Mostly, it was because I am genuinely fascinated by and interested in play, and what it does for us as human beings.

Therefore, this blog has been dusted off, and I hope to engage in conversations, post ideas and thoughts, and ask questions about your experiences of play and playfulness. I have been reading more of the works of Huizinga, Ellis and Sutton-Smith, and several new areas of interest have opened up. I have even started reading some classical philosophy. That is why the effort of completing the Masters was worth it – the learning never stops.

There really is all to play for.

Playing Away

When the serious stuff in life takes over, it is very easy to lose sight of the playful.

I recently had the experience of being made redundant. After six years as Curriculum Team Leader I was faced with the real prospect of being unemployed. The whole process was stressful and unnerving, as you might imagine. I really love my job in further education despite the cuts in funding, the burden of bureaucracy, and the constant need to justify the value of the arts. The thought that I might not be able to continue this work was very sad.

During the six weeks or so of uncertainty I found that I retreated into a ‘professional’ persona; one that carried on with a stiff upper lip, and got on with the job. But I was also aware that my playfulness was dialled down. I became dull.

Thankfully, I was able to apply for and succeeded in getting a new role as Head of School for the Creative Industries. More responsibility, sure, but also some really exciting opportunities to develop new curriculum, and give our students the opportunity to develop their creativity. I went on leave in a much more positive mood.

The work on my Masters project had also ground to a halt. I could not engage with the reading, saw no point in refining the research project. I contemplated throwing the whole thing out and giving up the idea as a waste of time.

Then, the holidays began and I found myself spending a damp afternoon playing quick cricket with my two daughters and their friend in a park. This was followed a few days later with a few games of tennis in a different park (thankfully on a much drier and warmer day) and an hour in the playground. Another game of quick cricket several days later still and I realised two things: I have turned into my grandad, patiently bowling over after over and fetching the ball from wherever it has been hit to, and I was laughing again. That week I spent a couple of hours each day reading, making notes, and adding to the word count on my dissertation. It was fun.

We have just returned from a week’s holiday in Wales where we met up with a work colleague and her extended family for an evening of excellent food, conversation and, whilst all the kids played hide and seek all over the house, the adults played a game of ‘Scattergories’ round the dining table. As we walked back to our flat in the moonlight we all agreed that we had just spent one of the most pleasant evenings for a long time. It was fun. The next day my girls and I played crazy golf. The day after that we went river walking. The next day was spent on the beach, jumping over waves and building sand castles. The next day we went to an Eco-friendly family theme park and rode the UKs first people-powered roller coaster, tried our hand at archery, slid down a hill on a plastic tray, and walked barefoot over various tactile surfaces. It was fun.

During the week I also read an article by Scott Eberle in The American Journal of Play entitled The Elements of Play – Toward a Philosophy and a Definition of Play that includes the quote,

“Thus play unfolds as a series of fortunate events driven by emotional experiences. To think of play in this way is not to prettify the concept but to clarify it.” (Eberle, 2014: 231)

This resonated with me as I indeed felt fortunate to have the time to play with my friends and family. The process of playing and all of the emotional transactions that take place within it made the last three weeks so much more entertaining and fulfilling than the previous month or so. It also served to remind me of that other truism “all work and no play makes me a dull monkey!”

New Playmates

There are many things about our brave, new, connected world that are positive. More than some people would have us believe. Yes, there are pitfalls and pratfalls a-plenty to be had in the virtual realm, just as there are plenty in the real one. In both we must behave kindly, responsibly and, perhaps ironically, as humanly as we can towards one another. In this way the connections that we make can enrich our lives and expand our learning beyond the seeming restrictions. We can engage in debate and discussion, sharpening our own opinions on those of other people, before sharing our thoughts, ideas and, yes, feelings with a potential audience of millions.

There are those, however, who will hide behind their avatars and online personas and attack, vilify and humiliate anyone whose viewpoint challenges their own. Like a playground bully whispering behind someone’s back and threatening to steal their dinner money, these characters can take all the joy out of interacting,learning and playing with others. Unless we stand up to them…

In the last few weeks I have made connections with several people whose views on education, teaching, learning and play have made me re-examine my own. Whilst broadly in agreement with much of what they are saying, there is enough in what they post to challenge me, and give me pause to think again. I have found some new playmates.

One of them is Debra Kidd who has worked as a teacher and manager in schools and colleges before setting up an educational consultancy, Integrate-Education. She also works extensively with Creative Partnerships and with two LEAs developing radical creative learning projects with teachers and children. In addition, she is an examiner in A Level Drama and Performance Studies. Debra is also a Senior Lecturer in Education at Manchester Metropolitan University. She writes eloquently and passionately about all aspects of education on her blog and, in recent weeks, has attracted some very unpleasant attention in the form of some negative reviews of her latest book. Her response to the experience is well worth a read for those of us who have felt like jacking all this teaching lark in due to the constant flak.

You can find Debra’s blog at https://debrakidd.wordpress.com/ 

Press Play

So, this new blog? Why start something else when I am already busy – too busy to keep up with all the other demands on my time?

Well, to be honest, I was just mucking about, trying to find out how this WordPress stuff works. I already have a blog on another platform where I can rant about things that irk or annoy me, or offer my thoughts and comments (for what they are worth) on a whole range of topics. I also write a blog that is mainly based around my relationship with music; how music made me who I am. There is also the theatre company production blog that I contribute to and manage. So, I’m not exactly short of a forum to air my views, and I’m not a first-time blogger.

So the question remains; this new blog?

I teach across several courses within the arts and media section of a large, Further Education college in the North of England. We also provide Higher Education courses, a handful of which I manage. One of these courses, in media make-up with special effects, has a module on personal development and planning (bear with me here, it will all make sense shortly) and I have been asked to give some input into the module to talk about professional practice within the creative arts. As part of their course, the students create a physical and a digital portfolio of their work. They also carry out work experience in the relevant industry. A great way to record what they do in a visual, contemporary and creative way is via a blog. So, I have the privilege of encouraging the students to start their own adventures in blogging.

As WordPress was the chosen platform, I had to teach myself the basics of building a blog. In three days. So, I did what I usually do; read the first few lines of the instructions, get restless, and just start mucking about to see what happens! I learn through play. Investigate, experiment, reflect, refine, and have fun. The result of my playful efforts; a new blog to link my teaching with my learning. Another distraction from the work I should be doing for my Masters course. But you know what they say? All work and no play…

Definitions of Play

Types of play can be categorised in the following way:
Locomotor play: exercise, running, climbing, large body activity
Social play: playful interactions between children and parents / care-givers – and later between other children.
Parallel play: play next to others without interaction; can be solitary. Can be physical, incorporates objects or language, be pretend, or includes all aspects.
Object play: playful use of objects such as building blocks, jigsaws, toy cars, puzzles etc.
Language play: spoken, repetition, laughter, rhyming, language skills – phonology, vocabulary, meaning, grammar, pragmatics.
Pretend play: involves pretending an object or an action is something other than it really is.
Socio-dramatic play: pretend play with others, extended role taking.

One definition of play, in this case provided by Smith and Pellegrini is;

“..activity done for its own sake, characterised by means rather than ends..flexibility..and positive affect” (Smith PK and Pellegrini A 2013)

What do you think?

An end to play time?

Whilst much is made of the benefits of play in childhood and the early years, as we get older the notion of play, playfulness and playing starts to take on rather negative connotations. Indeed, it can seem as though, in the busy modern workplace or in the classrooms beyond the primary stage, we really have come to the end of play time.

And yet, it is my assertion that the very qualities of play and playfulness will be the ones to sustain us in the coming period of change, growth and development, not only in education and employment, but in every realm of human interaction.

“Man plays only when he is in the full sense of the word man, and he is only wholly man when he plays” Schiller

So the purpose of this blog is to explore the role of play in education beyond the early years stage, and to share ideas, thoughts and playful practice.

Welcome to the playground.