play...

According to Webster's,  the word "play" holds multiple meanings.  It can be the noun meaning the conduct or course of an action or even the maneuver within a game.  However, I feel like the word "play" is far more significant to us as a verb.  I would never have associated the word "play" with literacy.  In a normal classroom setting, it is hard for students to associated play or fun with academic learning.  However, as we listened to the introductions from both St. Martin de Porres and Artists in Residence, I realized some of my best learning and literacy experiences began outside the classroom.  

Looking back, my very first experiences were simple out of the classroom memories of listening to bedtime stories that were being told by my parents.  In a lot of ways that would be considered "play" or at least playtime for the imagination.  I'm excited for the experiences and opportunities that await when we volunteer at our selected sites.  I feel like in our busy schedules we often forget to take that time out to just relax and play, and with that lack of "play" we are actually missing out on a lot of valued learning as well.