Why Laura wrote Play That Works
Because it works. It REALLY Works!

On May 18, 2010, I experienced the rush that all scientists must feel when their inventions work exactly as they had predicted. On this day, the data that was spontaneously presented confirmed that after just eight years of teaching my educational ideals had turned into realities.

The day began as every other. I had sent the final issue of the paper to the printer the day before, and being eight months and two days pregnant, I was expectedly exhausted. I hit the snooze button as many times as possible, rushed through my morning routine, and confirmed with my husband that I would be picking up our two-year-old daughter Annabelle and our one-year-old son Noah from the babysitter. My parents' mantra of "You can do anything, just find a way" was running through my head as I stumbled down the stairs. I kissed my husband goodbye as he whispered, "Happy Anniversary."

During my 30-minute commute to work, I reviewed my lesson plans. The Introduction to Journalism students would be writing thank-you notes to everyone who had helped them complete a publication from concept to final PDF. This final forced them to work under a real deadline atmosphere with the guidance of the publications students. Students aided each other in checking links, selecting appropriate fonts, and placing images. I had switched from teaching to my "Adviser Mode" as my students call it.

My "Adviser Mode" is a direct reflection of my philosophy about high school publications that I had developed during my journalism education methods courses at Ball State University. Throughout the multiple summer workshops I instructed and professional conferences I taught at, I learned that I was most valuable to students when I was in the middle of the room watching the designs coming together while editing story content: not at the computer typing headlines and adjusting photos.

After my Intro class, I had 20 minutes of prep time, and today had been slotted as "Staff Development Day" for my publication students. I opened this very book and selected five games for the day from the Saying Goodbye to You section. I selected Names and Faces, Find Yourself, Relay Races, Guess Who, and Memory Jars. I was ecstatic as they grabbed piece after piece of construction paper to write their final phrases to each other. As the final school bell rang, they collected their notes and their signed staff photos and walked out the door.

I began organizing my desk for the following day, and I looked at the board one last time only to find a note sprawled across my board telling me to stop by the nutrition room on my way out of school. As I entered the room, I said, "I saw that you needed to see me." The teacher simply said, "They need to see you." I looked around the corner of the classroom, and there stood more than 40 of my students with posters, balloons, and cake! They yelled surprise and smiled in pride at their accomplishment. I looked around and saw newspaper staff members, yearbook staff members, Introduction to Journalism students, and, most surprisingly, previous staff members who had returned just for this occasion. They had all gathered to say thank you and sign a poster that I will treasure always. Their reflections on one simple phrase confirmed that my teaching philosophy works. I had shown them Play that Works.

The poster read (among other things—see it at right): Mrs. Moore taught me…to love journalism…how to work under pressure…how to help people…how to be an awesome teammate…to suck it up and work…how to think on the fly…that when I do my best, I can achieve anything…how to overcome my fears…how to want to be better for myself…that crying means you care!