The students were working in groups today as I walked around the classroom keeping tabs on their progress.  It was then I noticed that one group of students had pulled out a deck of cards and was engrossed in their game.  When I brought to their attention the fact that this was not exactly what the lesson plan called for, ie. playing games, one of the students informed me that they were “task bonding”. Well, let me tell you, suddenly everything changed and I saw the light.  What I had perceived as a frivolous pastime, I now recognized as the serious business that it was.

How foolish of me not to have recognized the important process of task bonding even when I saw it taking place right before my very eyes!  Still, it looked an awful lot like a card game, it acted like a game, it felt like a game, it seemed like a game, it smelled like a game . . .  and games aren’t a part of this curriculum.  But task bonding is.   What to do?   a rose by any other name . . .

Which name shall I go with?   If I go with “game”, the cards must be put away.  If I go with “task bonding”,  it’s “carry on, you hard-working students, you; this is tough, important work you’re doing here, undoubtedly necessary to ensure the success of your own futures and the future of our country as well.  After all, who wants to live in a world where people lack the essential task bonding skill?  Not me.  You see, dear readers, I was experiencing the relevance of my previous post, “a rose by any other name”.  It DOES make a difference what we call/label something or someone.

I was acutely aware of this dilemma as the students awaited my decision.  Those two words, “task bonding”, had transformed a fun game into a serious educational activity, critical to the students’ learning and development.  Who was I to stand in the way of these students’ educational progress?  still, a rose by any other name . . .

Well,  let’s just say today I saw “task bonding” taking place.  But don’t get your hopes too high, students.  Tomorrow I’m sure I’ll just see plain old playing cards being played by a group of students who today successfully “played” their teacher. Pun intended.   well played, students!

today’s takeaway,    recognizing a rose isn’t all that hard.  Calling a rose a rose can sometimes be a challenge.

sincerely,       Grace Day

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”  (Matthew 1:21)