Isn’t Learning Supposed to be Fun?

My youngest just wrapped up his first year in public school as a Transitional Kindergartner. He came home with a report card and was recommended for summer school. Just in case you aren’t tracking, my five year old in TK (an optional extra year we were thrilled he had the opportunity to attend) was told he could benefit from Summer School.

Now, I am all for extra support where needed. I also have an intrinsic trust of the educators teaching my kids and the educational system providing the support; but my first thought was that perhaps we’ve taken it too far when we are telling 5 year olds they didn’t make the academic cut and need to go to summer school.

To be honest, perhaps they are right. And I don’t think anyone would argue that extra time with teachers and a focus on learning foundational skills can hurt… but aren’t these formative years designed to be about learning while having fun? Do we loose that sense of wonder in learning at too young of an age?

If you have spent any extended amount of time with me you have likely heard me talk about the Enneagram. On a very basic level, the Enneagram is a form of personality typing that focuses on core human structures of the ego. It adheres to the principle that once we are able to identify how we operate within that ego structure we can identify our positive and negative qualities and more specifically the potential for a more integrated or “healthy” version of ourselves. *

One thing I have identified in myself through my study of the Enneagram is my desire to constantly be experiencing things that are new and fun - at the expense of taking the time to rest, slow down, and seek a deeper understand of other topics, people, or of myself. My perception of life impacted my teaching in that I always wanted to make sure my classroom was fun. The research is clear that children at a young age learn through play and I just never wanted that to end. I even remember thinking to myself “If I am bored than FOR SURE my students are bored.” I tend to still operate with this mindset while at the same time knowing there is value in slowing down and leaving space for depth of understanding. This is true not just for my students, but for me as well.

The question I find myself asking is: How can I make learning fun while at the same time fostering a desire for depth of understanding?

This is the question I would hope teachers are always asking themselves. I understand the need for accountability (although I prefer the phrase “loving accountability") and therefore a perhaps misplaced value on providing TK-ers with a report card and potential recommendation for summer school. But I also believe that learning can be fun; let’s find that again.

*Ask me more about the Enneagram if you are interested! I actually have a whole introductory training I do that can help with team development.