Education and Entertainment

How many times have you heard a teacher say something like “I’m here to educate them not to entertain them.” Sometimes it almost seems as though they regard education as bad tasting medicine that students need to take whether they like it or not. Other times is it is a reaction to students complaining about being bored and perhaps someone suggesting that the teacher “do something” to make it more interesting. Dealing with students who have grown up in a world where they expect constant amusement and entertainment can be frustrating. This is especially true for some “old school” teachers. But should there be a separation between entertainment and education?