Valuing Silliness

"Our classrooms ought to be nurturing and thoughtful and just all at once; they ought to pulsate with multiple conceptions of what it is to be human and alive. They ought to resound with the voices of articulate young people in dialogues always incomplete because there is always more to be discovered and more to be said. We must want our students to achieve friendship as each one stirs to wide-awakeness, to imaginative action, and to renewed consciousness of possibility." 

Maxine Greene, Releasing the Imagination, page 43

Silliness. That exuberant, joyful way that young children relate to each other. It's physical, often involving jumping or dancing around and sometimes bumping into each other. It's loud and collaborative with each child adding to what the others have said or done. It sometimes verges on inappropriate with jokes designed to bring out giggles. Teachers often struggle to reign this type of behavior in, quiet it down so children can learn. As teachers, we will be responsible for learning and so this tension seems unavoidable. But could it be that silliness is valuable?


I walk a group of first and second graders to school in the mornings. Today one child was in tears about a missing library book. Her friends tried offering support and suggestions to no avail.  Then they got silly. They danced and laughed and told jokes about giant pickles. By the time we arrived at school, she was laughing along with them and ready for a happy day at school.Could it be that this silly way young children relate to each other has a value of its own? It cheered up a sad child.  Beyond that, it made her feel included when her sadness was keeping her on the outside of the group.  It pulled her into the community. Could it be that silliness is a way children show affection and compassion for each other? Could it be that silliness as a form of common language that allows children to build relationships and community with each other? Is there a place for silliness in the classroom?


I am not suggesting that we just let silliness have full reign or that we neglect our obligations to make sure each child is able to learn. I am just wondering if small times of silliness would foster community and actually help us engage students in learning. For example, what if students had a little more time to greet each other at the start of the day and it was OK to be silly and loud during this time? Is it possible that the enthusiasm of sharing their authentic selves would carry over into the learning time? Or, what if the class made up silly poems or songs together - ones that even teetered on the ridiculous as small children love to do? Is it possible that the excitement of creating something together would make them feel a sense of belonging? Is it possible that this type of collaboration would ignite their imaginations? Is it possible that it would help them learn?Children are children after all, not just students.  They need to be able to relate to each other in ways that are authentic and natural and ... maybe even silly.