If You're Not Having Fun, You're Not Doing it Right! Jennifer Coleman

If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right! Meet Jennifer Coleman, whose adventures in learning include teaching 5th  grade, leading informal education programs at a children's museum, and being a college admissions counselor. Through it all, she's brought her spark, joy and laughter to playful learning. I hope you have fun discovering the connections that are possible between play, engaged learning, and children's literature this week! And did I mention, we both have aspirations of adding Disney Princess to our resumes? You'll find out why around 00:41:32.Episode Highlights:04:22: We discover that the picture books we loved as children (The Monster at the End of This Book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Peter's Chair, The Snowy Day, Whistle for Willie) reflected our experiences, our personalities, and our worldviews at the time. [08:56] Meet Ms. Frizzle! Jen shares the real-life inspiration (her 8th grade science teacher Mrs. Schiavone) who showed her science was magical and fun. 14:15: Play is at the heart of building strong connections between engaged STEAM learning and children's literature. We explore playful learning through Jen's 5th  grade lessons about the American Revolution (16:19) and my preschool's budding astronauts (22:03). Books we reference:John, Paul, George, and Ben (Smith).Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? (Fritz/Tomes)Stamped for Kids: Racism, Antiracism, and You (Cherry-Paul/Reynolds/Kendi/ Baker)King George: What Was His Problem? Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution (Sheinkin/ Robinson)Hedgie Blasts Off ( Brett)Rainy Day Rocket Ship (Sheppard/Palmer)Seymour Simon space books Mission to Space (Herrington)Mae Among the Stars (Ahmed/Burrington)Note: As an Amazon Associate* I earn from qualifying purchases. [25:52] Dr. Diane: "I think all too often in our textbooks there are so many voices that have been silenced, and this is a wonderful opportunity to develop empathy and be able to see things from another perspective as well." As we consider the engaging lessons we are sharing with our students this year, let's not shy away from looking for books that help bring new voices and perspectives to the table.[29:14] We discuss how playful learning leads to what Steve Spangler calls making it a "best day ever".  We also discuss ways our students learned resilience through the playful attitude of our classes (waterfalls in the ceiling [29:50] or dinosaur digs as a result of basement floods [30:59], anyone?)[38:10] I highlight a wonderful picture book:  Patchwork ( Matt de la Pena, Corinna Luyken). It’s for all of us who don't necessarily follow a direct path in life. [43:14] Jen shares 3  life rules:If you're not having fun you're probably not doing it right.Add a soundtrack to everyday life for more playfulness.Explore like there aren't any rules.Support the showShare this episodeIf this conversation sparked wonder, gave you a helpful strategy, or offered a needed reminder of hope, please share it with a friend or colleague.Subscribe • Download • Review • Tell a friendStay updated with our latest episodes and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and the Adventures in Learning website. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! *Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.