“Fun” is the word most often missing from education today. It’s practically nonexistent.

I have many goals as a teacher, but my primary goal, is to make school a fun and memorable place that kids want to return to daily.

I want my students to despise Saturday and Sunday.

I want them to lament the approach of summer vacation.

Lofty and perhaps unattainable goals, but ones I strive for daily.   

If my students love school, I have won.

To that end, I have an endless array of strategies to make every day a little different, a little special, and most of all, fun for my students.

I believe that “fun” is the word most often missing in education today. I believe that if teachers sought to make the school day more fun for their students, learning would increase exponentially.

 

A few months ago, I received a note from a student that let me know that I was on the path of accomplishing my goal this year, at least for her.   
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Dear Mr. Dicks, 

As you can tell I am not here today. I am out sick because I threw up many times. I was determined to go to school. . . Until I threw up again. Then I realized, “Oh no! I need to go to school. I really did. Something might happen when I’m not there! Something always happens!” My mom told me I should stay home, but I told her what you always say. . . "You never know what you could miss out on if you miss school!" Then I threw up again. So I guess I’m staying home. Don’t do anything too fun today. Please?