Teaching Observations, Instructional Coaching

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Dare to be different, Innovative Playgrounds...

What if school playgrounds came equipped with building materials, tools, and movable pieces?  There is this breakthrough notion that students may be interested in exploring while using their imagination, go figure?  Being a big kid, I would love to explore in an unstructured imagination playground? In this year alone Imagination playground has been contacted by 274 schools who wanted to push the power of imagination.David Rockwell, designer of imagination playground said he was inspired by watching his own children.  David Rockwell is not the only idea in town, others have created spaces for children to play that are movable as well like Interactive Playgrounds.We have spaces that give students the ability to explore and create with other students such as the interactive playgrounds. Andy, Galen, and Joelwork together to for interactive playgrounds.  They design playgrounds with obstacle courses, carnival games, and yard games.  Yes, these are movable parts but why should our world be constant?  What if, during the months January through May there were other choices for play while August through December, students were allowed to select from different options?  I know we can list so many reasons why not to do this... like the cost, injury, overseeing the structures and the multiple teachers on hand to trouble shoot problems.   Yes, there are many risks but so what, lets do it!   There are traditional choices to playgrounds such as the large playground multifunction apparatus with a soft-fall flooring which have been the selected choices for many school areas, community parks, or gated communities.  These are safe areas where students can play with other children while climbing.  We also have the open filed area with a couple of structures to climb and maybe a swing set to accompany the wood chip flooring and some areas have a large cement area for basketball/tennis depending on the location.  Last but not least, theirs the metal playground with indestructible play structures which may have a basketball court with a hoop.  ZZZzzzzzz are you asleep yet,   these are the boring structures in place but don’t settle for less, do something to CHANGE IT, be innovative.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJEzrW3Uxtw