More Play!

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨… 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮?

Last month, I had the joy of speaking at the 11th EEPEK (Scientific Association for the Promotion of Innovation in Education), a gathering of educators, researchers, and practitioners from across Europe, hosted by the University of Thessaly in Greece.

My talk, “Play Attention,” explored a topic that I care deeply about:
how play isn’t a break from learning – play IS learning!

I shared reflections from my work in applied theatre, from Shanghai to Barcelona, where I’ve seen again and again that when students move, imagine, and co-create… Confidence grows. Language skills develop. Curiosity reawakens.

Some themes that resonated with the audience:
🎭 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺, it could remain one!
🧠 𝗪𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟵𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱. Active learning matters.
✨ 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁. They build empathy, collaboration, and critical thinking.
🧒🏽 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁s take control of their own learning. Not be passive receivers.

💡 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆: 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆.

If you’re curious to watch the talk, the YouTube link is in the comments.

#ActiveLearning #InnovativeEducation #EmbodiedLearning #AppliedTheatre