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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW SOU launches arts institute for high school students ... Bacteria plague parts of Bear, Neil creeks ... Our View: Paying by the mile ... SOU launches arts institute for high school students ... Bacteria plague parts of Bear, Neil creeks ... Our View: Paying by the mile ... TEACHER'S TIPS When it comes to summer, the play's the thing By Paul Huard DailyTidings.com By Paul Huard Posted May. 25, 2015 @ 4:32 pm By Paul Huard Posted May. 25, 2015 @ 4:32 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2324,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> This will be my last column of the school year. I will return in August, rested and refreshed after summer recess. To the readers who have been kind enough to share their compliments with me, please accept my thanks. Writing this column is a labor of love, but hard work does not always guarantee the results a writer searches for. I am pleased that my comments and analysis were helpful, and that my “view from the trenches” of education prompted discussion among parents and community members. “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically,” said Martin Luther King, Jr. “Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.” We can all agree with that goal, no matter our politics or personal orientation. Here’s one more thing that I hope will prompt agreement. Parents, I hope you let your children play this summer. That’s a piece of advice worth following whether your child is in pre-school or about to graduate from high school. For many families, summer just signals the seasonal change from one set of scheduled, adult-supervised activities to another. Sure, “play” can mean different things for children at different ages. Elementary school children will probably still receive joy from a favorite toy; high school-age students need experiences that allow them to test their independence or face a personal challenge. But whatever the age-appropriate activity let your child experience unscheduled, unsupervised playtime because it is one of the most valuable educational opportunities we give our kids. If nothing else, children will experience that mild but exciting form of risk-taking that allows them to mature, learn how to meet goals independently, and strengthen their physical and mental health. “Free play is nature’s means of teaching children that they are not helpless,” writes Peter Gray, professor of psychology at Boston College. “In play, away from adults, children really do have control and can practice asserting it. In free play, children learn to make their own decisions, solve their own problems, create and abide by rules, and get along with others as equals rather than as obedient or rebellious subordinates.” Even blunter is a statement in a recent article in The Atlantic (which heavily influenced at least the tone of this column). Author Jessica Lahey writes: “Parents, if you really want to give your kid a head start on coming school year, relinquish some of that time you have earmarked for lessons or sports camp and let your children play. That’s it. Just play. Grant them time free from your ulterior motives and carefully planned educational outcomes.” In age where public education is dominated by state testing and the “bell-to-bell” need to meet a dozen different agendas within the limited time of the instructional day, play sounds like a nice respite. So, when your kids ask “What can we do?” don’t forget about Lithia Park. When your teen-ager proposes a personal adventure of some kind, yes you must weigh the risks — but also weigh the potential rewards. After all, wouldn’t you like to go outside and play, too, if you had a chance? A former reporter who covered politics and government for newspapers in California and Oregon, Paul R. Huard teaches social studies and English courses at Ashland High School. The opinions he expresses are his own. By Paul Huard DailyTidings.com By Paul Huard Posted May. 25, 2015 @ 4:32 pm » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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