Teaching at its best is a joyful passionate creative often uncharted adventure ('mapped' afterwards! to prove to someone we have been somewhere!)
I've had the privilege to visit many creative classrooms over the years - I have 'felt' the magic!
Creative teachers are driven by a need to help their students generate their own meaning - to express their own ideas. Such teachers share an often unarticulated a philosophy. We now need to make it explicit.
Such teachers are driven by curiosity, challenge, and enjoy taking calculated risks. They see teaching as fun! They are 'turned on' to teaching!! - they 'don't need no thought control' (Pink Floyd)

What is killing the fun of teaching? What is damping our spirits, turning us off, burning us out?

ERO ask us how 'can we show students are achieving and enjoying learning?'
Do we show how students are enjoying learning - we can measure anything if we are creative! Ask the students! Look in their eyes. You can tell when people are aligned ('tuned') with you.
ERO have accused schools of lacking leadership - of not developing alternatives to current models.
A bit rich coming from ERO - they are part of the anti-risk toxic culture we find ourselves in!
But I believe those who show courage to clarify and implement their own vision are rewarded!
Is it courage we lack? Do we lack ideas - there are plenty of alternatives about if we can see them.
Do we have the leadership at all levels - why couldn't we work together (like today)?

What is learning? It is a big game - but one that that can be 'turned' off by fear and failure and the lack of supporting and sensitive adults.
It is about doing things well - getting into something in depth not skimming the surface ticking boxes. About personal excellence - achieving ones personal best - continually improving.
Real learners are lost in their thoughts - they are caught up in the 'flow' - work then becomes fun.
Challenge and effort are part of the game. Fun does not mean easy. We need 'friendly environments for hard work' - bur 'work' must be based on something that has captured the learner's attention.
Howard Gardner articulates what all creative teachers have known - we all have different talents to explore - it's just that school seems to favour only a couple (literacy and numeracy).
John Dewey long ago talked of the power of personal interest - and that we all like what we get good at. Learning is a journey of self-discovery - we as teachers provide the conditions (Glasser/ Borba) and the help. See yourself as a 'cognitive coach' (Costa/ Vygotsky/ 'Co- constructivism')

Teaching is reaching for 'our' dreams not the curriculum ' nightmare' the Ministry imposes on us.
Learning is fun when you reach out and do something you didn't think you could do
Teaching is fun when you help someone achieve beyond their expectations
Teachers need to forget about 'the' curriculum and reinvent the art and craft of teaching.
Teachers who plan 'neat' things 'with' their students (negotiate learning) inspire learning - they integrate and teach for connections - they keep in mind the dispositions they want students to gain not 'fiddly' content details. They 'future proofing' their students with positive attitudes.

We need to value those teachers who still retain their creative spirit - they are the real heroes. Let's learn off them! We can all remember such classrooms - what will your students remember?
 Imagine a whole school of such people - my particular dream. Fun but weird. Exciting. Like herding cats! Needs real leadership not management. Would be e fun being a leader of such people.
Teaching is fun when you are given courage to take risks by being in a creative team
Creative teaching is possible if you have the moral courage provided by shared values and beliefs.
Fun teaching / learning, is all about feelings and emotions (A Hargreaves) - not endless checklists.

Learning is about remaining optimistic even in the most difficult situation.
Learning is remaining childlike (not childish) - it's like being a perpetual two year old - always curious always exploring. Art Costa states that we are at our most intelligent before we reach school! Always asking questions. Imagine a class of perpetual two years olds - Mozarts, Picassos and Einsteins!

We all know these people (adults) but we often choose to ignore them - they can't be serious! But the future will depend on these 'boat rockers' - those who challenge the 'status quo' - real leaders!

What has (almost) killed off the fun and magic of teaching - as if you haven't worked my message out by now!

• The 'crowded' curriculum - 'Stuffed in both senses of the word' (L.Flockton). The 'KFC curriculum' (Gwen Gawith). The applied boredom of 'Free Market Stalinism' (M Barber). Lets do 'fewer things well' - lets for depth - the 'Haiku' Curriculum! Quality not quantity. Lets collegially plan exciting content that reaches out to all, and covers all learning areas.
• Accountability mentality - important things are hard to measure. Avoid the 'Assessment frenzy'! Assess fewer things well and use the data to improve teaching not make pretty graphs. Less 'ticking' more observation and thinking - everything is a diagnostic task. Assess what you value. Can you 'see' the improvement - can students assess their own quality?
• The Compliance Culture - we are developing a dependency culture (Fullan) Looking for answers outside ourselves develops what one writer call a 'corrosion of character' and leads to being risk aversive. Answer: together develop your own vision and values and say no! Adapt never adopt. Avoid at all costs self-imposed bureaucracy! I see too much of this - for ERO!
• Self-doubts and fear - the biggest 'fun killer' of them all. Act as if your shared vision is really important. What is your 'Holy Grail'? Courage of ones convictions is vital. Overcoming fear and doubt is fun.

Let's be subversive. Lets value democratic principles (Dewey again) above technocratic 20thC ideology. We are in a new ecological environment - we need a 21stC 'mindset' to thrive in such a crazy ever - changing world. Don't plan so much - but be prepared for anything - it's what you do when things don't go according to plan that marks out the future winners! Learn to enjoy uncertainty. It can be fun!
Begin by articulating your dreams and sharing them with other teachers, parents and the wider community. What do they want for their children? Then start to live your shared dreams.
Your shared vision will act as a moral compass in a world forever changing.
Start to control your own destiny or some one else will (it may be too late for some of us!)
Future leadership will be the art of 'keeping the herd roughly west' - and valuing the mavericks!

Start to develop your school (or class) as an environment of happiness. Parents love happy students who love school! Make your class/ school inviting.
Focus on developing all the talents your students didn't even know they had - parents will love you! Your student's future will depend on their repertoire of talents and their attitude towards life.
Focus on what is important - 'focus develops energy - complexity develops confusion (de Bono)

Remember fun is infectious - you are in charge of your own face! (Patch Adams) - laugh more!
If you are going to skate on thin ice - tap dance! You need 'style!' Rock the boat - have some fun!
The future belongs to the risk - takers, the weird and the slightly crazy. It will not pay to be to sane.

So lets put some 'magic' back into teaching.