William G. Paden Elementary School, Alameda
Play theorist Brian Sutton-Smith concluded, ‘The opposite of play is not work–the opposite of play is depression.’ While research supports this, traditional schools continue to treat play as frivolous and double down on the pressure to raise students’ standardized test scores. Meanwhile, teachers are leaving the profession and students are experiencing increasing anxiety and depression. Our team wants time to dive into play research and support each other in our efforts to infuse our classrooms with the choice, wonder, and delight found in playful learning environments in order to increase student engagement and learning while improving mental health for students and teachers alike.
