Signs of Fun in Elementary Education

I managed to Google my way to this collection of innovative and amusing Penny Games. I was heartened by the originality and playfulness of these little games, and pleased to think that somewhere in this world kids are still making up games.

Then I learned that this activity was school sponsored. The Grade Five kids in Mr. Smith's class at Frontenac School were answering the question: BESIDES BUYING, WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH 100 PENNIES? Which turned out to be one of several projects in response to the question "What is in 100?"

I think my faith in kids and education and teachers and schools and the Internet has been, with the discovery of this one site, very close to restored. As a former fifth-grade teacher who almost lost his job for unauthorized fun, finding that there are other people out there, 40 years later, who are still trying to bring fun to learning, and succeeding, is almost too much joy for this old heart. Discovering that the class had the skills and sponsorship to put their work online just about did it for me, faith-restoration-wise. I'm thinking maybe it's time to pay more attention to what's going on in our classrooms. Even in our Canadian classrooms. Something promising's afoot. Yes, Virginia, they are having fun in school.