As we grow older, the things we learn from experience guide our actions.

However, we had a set of tools to help us that were instrumental in our development.

They were tools that gave us hope in the world and can be powerful for education.

It’s something we’ve always known and tend to forget.

The Importance of Playing

This is the central theme to a few of my talks and a subject I’ve written about it extensively. The reason I incorporate it so heavily into my work is because it works.

D.W. Winnicott, a psychoanalyst in the thread of Freud and Jung, found he could connect with young patients through the act of playing.

This is something we need to do with our young people.

One thing I enjoy doing when stressed out students come to see me is to take them outside and kick a soccer ball – or throw a baseball. In fact, I rarely sit in my office anymore when students come to see me. Of course, professional judgment is still required.

As we get older, we begin associating playing as a pastime of our youth. This is unfortunate because playing is therapeutic, stress relieving, and creative.

How often do you allow yourself, and your students, to play?

Be Vulnerable

As children we are very open and honest.

There is a misconception in magic that children are easy to entertain. This couldn’t be further from the truth. If a child doesn’t like you, or rather doesn’t like your show, they will tell you. They have no hang ups about blurting out whatever comes to mind.

However, if a child likes you, or likes or act, they will tell proclaim you are their favorite person ever… even if they’ve never seen anybody else before.

They do this because they want to relate to what’s going on. Even when a child tells you they’re smarter than you and attempts to show off their knowledge, they’re really just trying to reach out and connect.

What do we do as adults when a child does this?

We smile, laugh, and tell them that they are so smart and there are so absolutely right. We share part of our vulnerability with them.

That’s something we can’t forget when we’re in the classroom. Children are vulnerable, just as our students are vulnerable. They want to connect to you.

We must ask ourselves what are we doing to open ourselves up to them?

You don’t have to be brutally honest with your life (that professional judgement thing again) – just give them something to connect to and they will respect you for it.

Let them know, through personal stories, you know what it’s like to be in their shoes.

Then take it a step further and get them to connect with each other.

With these two things in mind, you will be equipped enough to be able to connect to any audience of students. Regardless of their background, they still want to play and connect.

What are some things you could be doing to help that process?