Teaching always has its theatrical moments, but should teachers purposefully aim to be entertaining, rather than authentic or authoritarian?
Over the years, like many professions, teaching has had many competing narratives about teacher behavior. Today, the notion that teachers should make their classes engaging and fun has become increasingly popular, with mixed reception.
In 2023, EdWeek wrote about the debate over whether teachers should be artists. In response to that article, many other teachers have recently taken to social media to share their own opinions.
Below is a collection of the most popular themes.
Authenticity is key
“I am absolutely not an artist. Not now, not ever. I’m not an actor, performer or circus clown. I’m not putting on a fake persona to get attention and engagement. I am an educator and caregiver. I build relationships with students and show them how valued they are. I help them develop a love of learning by being present and interested in them… I am myself.”
Ju L.
“The best advice I received was to be yourself, but always stay ahead of the students. Be yourself, even if it means you are considered ‘boring’. Students are at school to receive an education, not an entertainment program.”
Sakina A.
“However you [teach], you have to make the class interesting and engaging; I’ve seen a lot of really creative ideas for this. Enjoy being in your classes. If you do this, they will notice this and listen to you carefully.”
Marilyn W.
“The unusual, the unexpected and apparent contradictions are his tools to attract attention and create questions to be answered or discovered. But entertainment is different. It can also be one of these tools, but only when it is an integral part of learning, and not as a tool. [standard operating procedure] all the time. You have to be yourself.”
Mereatz H.
‘Fun wasn’t in the job description’
“I was told in my education class, ‘Teachers are like actors, the show must go on even if we are sick, tired or don’t feel it.’ …Another thing teachers are expected to do but don’t get paid enough for. We have so many positions, but [are] I only paid for one.”
Laura A.
“I’m only surviving high school because I’m an artist.”
Robin B.
“You have to do a performance in every class, you don’t have to be singing and dancing, but no matter how you feel you need to be focused, positive and dynamic. Particularly tiring if you’ve had a full day of classes.”
Michelle M.
“Our district literally bought a show to entertain kids. We are expected to put on a dog and pony show all the time and the program is constantly shoved down our throats… We have gone from ‘children are bored at school’ to ‘children have to be constantly stimulated’ throughout the day. It’s tiring and ridiculous…”
Amanda M.
“I felt like an artist, magician, doer, mother, nurse and, oh yes, someone who did her best to engage and encourage children to read and learn. I did this for over 40 years…”
Madalina B.
“I feel like I need it, but when I get home I don’t have much energy for my own kids.”
Britto P.
“I always felt like I needed to be switched on every day. It was especially difficult if I was experiencing stress in my other life. I had to block it from my mind so I could give my best to them.”
Elizabeth W.
Balance is needed
“I try to make my classes engaging, but it’s not realistic that every class, every day, is the most exciting thing ever. At some point, we will also have to teach students to focus and work on things they are not excited about doing…”
Erin R.
“Life is boring sometimes. Children need to learn to be bored.”
Brenda C.
“Children are not “one size fits all”. Some love the “hey guys, let’s have fun!” approach. Some respond better to a calm environment. Some vary depending on their mood or what is going on in their lives. Teachers try to provide what they need all the time. Those who ‘act out’ openly often do so for themselves.”
Angela R.
“It takes all types of styles to teach all types of students. It’s a dynamic position to teach every day. Each class has its own community culture developed with the teacher.”
Darcy B.
“There are times to be energetic and ‘act.’ There are times to be calm, attentive, patient and most importantly helpful.”
Maria A.
“Well, we can present materials and concepts in an engaging way and promote an assignment, but at some point, students just need to write an essay.”
Barbara M.
Entertaining and learning can be an effective partnership
“I’m retired and I ran into a former student who said, ‘I’ll always remember the day we turned our bedroom into a Victorian classroom. I was so glad we didn’t learn like this anymore. Making a lesson remembered 20 years later cannot be wrong. [For those that were curious]: Yes, I was dressed in Victorian clothes and was a strict disciplinarian.”
John B.
“Yes! But can we teach them to entertain each other too? In my HS classes, I require slide shows to be ‘interactive’. Students should use guessing, decoding, fill-in games, Pictionary, or charades to teach the material from each of their slides… The class goes by very quickly and they are more likely to remember everything in the future because of the positive aspects and challenging connections.”
Kirsten J.
