Are We Crowding Joy Out of the Curriculum?

In seventh grade, my teacher told us we could choose whatever book we wanted for our novel unit, as long as it met a few criteria. I chose a book called Transall Saga by Gary Paulsen, and it changed my life.

She gave us three weeks to read it, but I'll never forget starting it that evening after school and staying up until 2:00 a.m. to finish the whole thing.

All 256 pages. My 12-year-old self could not put it down.

And this was one of those catalyst moments in my life, because I've been a voracious reader ever since. I learned that there was joy to be found in reading. And even when I was no longer sitting in that language arts classroom, I knew how to seek out that joy for myself.

I think that's one of the most important things my teacher gave me. She helped me discover something I could enjoy for the rest of my life. And I think sometimes, in education, we forget how important that is. We teach students knowledge and skills with the hope that they'll continue using that knowledge and those skills long after they leave our classrooms.

Right? We want kids to learn how to solve math problems so they can solve problems throughout their lives. We don't want kids to only think like scientists when they're in science class. We want them to see the world through that lens forever. We want kids to learn how to read so they can read for pleasure throughout their lives, but also consume informational writing, persuasive writing, and research. That's the point of reading instruction: to create literate adults.

But if we suck the joy out of reading in the process of teaching it, are students going to keep doing it? If there isn't a level of enjoyment in any of the subjects we teach, can we really expect students to keep pursuing it?

It's so essential that we teach knowledge and skills while also instilling the motivation for students to keep using them long after they're out of school. And I think one of the primary ways to do this is by helping students experience joy in the learning process.

Why Joy Matters in Learning

We're naturally drawn toward activities that bring us satisfaction, curiosity, connection, and meaning. And when we enjoy something, we're more likely to return to it, spend time doing it, and work to get better at it. Think about how much time and effort adults willingly devote to hobbies they enjoy.

I'm teaching myself archery right now. And there's no financial incentive to it. No awards, no competition, no grades. I'm learning because I enjoy it. It brings me joy.

And it's hard! Just because something brings joy doesn't mean it has to be fun all the time.
Have you ever had a bowstring slap your arm? It hurts!

Or have you ever been trying to learn something difficult, and you just kind of stall out? Your progress slows down, and it feels like you're barely getting anywhere?

That's part of learning, too. But it's the challenge and growth that brings lasting contentment. It's more than the dopamine rush that comes with momentary happiness.

My son Jack, who is in 7th grade, is learning tennis right now, and it's not always fun. There are frustrating practices, missed shots, and moments when things just aren't clicking. But he still enjoys playing and discovering what he's capable of as he improves.

Sometimes enjoyment comes from mastering something difficult, becoming absorbed in a challenge, or discovering something fascinating. Sometimes it's the satisfaction of finally figuring something out after struggling with it for a while. I think it's crucial that we find ways to bring more of this into school.

I'm talking about helping students discover what's enjoyable about learning, even when it takes effort.

Piper's Magic Spot: What joyful learning can look like

I shared about this in my article a couple weeks ago, but it makes this point so well. My daughter Piper attends a school that borders a beautiful county park. And one of the things I love about her school is an experience they call the "Magic Spot." Every fifth grader gets to choose their own special spot in the woods. Over the next two years, students return to that same spot to spend time quietly observing, journaling, writing poetry, and creating stories.

And Piper absolutely loves it.

Think about what students are doing during this experience. They're developing writing skills, practicing observation, expressing ideas, and engaging with language. But they're also experiencing the peace of the woods, the wonder of nature, and the pleasure of having a special place to themselves. They're discovering that writing can be something enjoyable.

Education should give us more things to enjoy

What if joy were something we actively considered when designing a scope and sequence or planning a learning unit?

I've been working on my new book, Portrait of a Graduate, which is just about ready by the way. It's all about the essential competencies we want students to have at the end of their educational experience: communication, critical thinking, problem solving, adaptability, and becoming productive citizens.

And one of the points I make in the book is that these competencies, these skills and characteristics, are like muscles. The more you work them out, the stronger they become.

Well I think one of the things we should want students to leave school with is the capacity to find joy in the world. And I firmly believe the content we teach is loaded with opportunities for that.

Think about science. Understanding ecosystems can make a simple walk through the woods so much more fascinating. You start noticing relationships between plants and animals, recognizing patterns, and understanding things you might have otherwise walked right past. Or literature-- reading opens up entire worlds and perspectives we might never encounter otherwise.

History gives places, buildings, and events greater meaning. You can visit a city and appreciate things about it that you never would have noticed without that knowledge.

The more we learn about the world, the more opportunities we have to appreciate and enjoy it.

And I think that's a pretty incredible gift education can give students. So we have to point these things out to students, but we also have to design learning experiences with this in mind. Maybe it's just changing the setting every now and then, like Piper's Magic Spot.

Or it's giving students more choices, allowing them to choose what they read sometimes, and finding ways to connect those choices to your curriculum.

Maybe it's doing more projects and hands-on learning that give students the real satisfaction of solving a problem, creating something, or figuring something out for themselves.

But I also think it means asking an important question:

Are we crowding joy out of the curriculum?

Because schools are constantly being asked to do more. More standards to cover, more assessments to administer, more programs to implement, and more data to collect. And every time we add something to the school day, we're potentially taking time away from something else.

I've visited a lot of schools recently that are using AI-powered programs for reading comprehension and writing practice. And I see the value in these tools. They can provide targeted, differentiated practice and help students develop important skills. They can also be effective in teaching reading and writing skills. Because of course, students have to know how to read if they are ever going to love it.

But I've also seen situations where these programs are taking the place of experiences that make reading and writing enjoyable. Things like whole-class novels, book clubs, creative writing, poetry, journaling, personal narratives, and simply getting lost in a good book.

And I wonder what happens when those experiences become less common.

Sure, students might become better at answering comprehension questions. But are they developing a love of reading? Are they discovering authors they enjoy? Are they experiencing the satisfaction of writing something they're genuinely proud of?

And this goes well beyond reading and writing.

What happens when science becomes mostly vocabulary and worksheets, with fewer opportunities to investigate the natural world? When history becomes memorizing facts instead of exploring fascinating stories and wrestling with important questions? When math becomes endless practice without opportunities to experience the satisfaction of solving interesting problems?

I understand that teachers have an enormous amount of content to cover, and that foundational skills require explicit instruction and practice. And I'm certainly not suggesting we abandon those things.

But I do think we need to be careful about what we're sacrificing in the process.

Because if one of the purposes of education is to help students discover more things to enjoy about the world, then we have to protect the experiences that make that possible. And maybe that's a question worth asking the next time we're planning a unit, adopting a new program, or deciding how to spend our instructional time.

Are we making room for students to discover the joy in what we're teaching? Or are we unintentionally crowding it out?

This is actually one of the big questions I wrestle with in my new book. How do we make room in an already packed curriculum for the competencies we know students need?

How do we create more opportunities for authentic learning, meaningful projects, and experiences that bring joy into the classroom?

Because I think all of these things belong in education. And I think we can be much more intentional about weaving them into what we're already teaching. Ultimately, that's what I hope we keep asking ourselves as educators. How can we help students learn what they need to know while also giving them opportunities to discover, create, solve problems, and find genuine joy in learning?

Joy belongs in the curriculum. And if we want students to experience it, we have to be intentional about making room for it.