Not just child’s play

Education dean Tabitha Dell’Angelo pushes the benefits of fun for kids and adults.

Words by Kara Pothier

Tabitha Dell’Angelo, Dean of the School of Education at The College of New Jersey

How did you get interested in the value of, and the study of, play?

Playfulness is part of my personality. I come from a funny family. I inherited humor as a way to cope with stress. Over the years, I realized I could bring playfulness into places where I worked. As an elementary school teacher, I incorporated art and play into my classroom. And now, at the college, I’m trying to be more intentional both in my teaching and in the way I conduct business. I think when the atmosphere is more playful, it can help build morale and enhance connections between people.

What does that look like in TCNJ’s School of Education? How do you encourage fun?

I like to offer simple things that bring the stress level down a bit. For example, I put a puzzle table out in the lobby. Students and staff stop by and put pieces together. Sometimes I leave out old typewriters with paper. Everyone wants to touch them. So that’s fun. We have play days with outdoor games like jump ropes and hopscotch. Our students interact with local kids, and it helps them to break free of this idea that “I’m the adult. I don’t play.” Rachel Townley from our Support for Teacher Education Programs office offered to lead community-building sessions for faculty to gather, create, and chat. We painted pumpkins and made flower bouquets; we had a puppet-making workshop with students. People have gotten to know each other because they sit down and start making something together.

As a society, are we just not playing enough?

We’re totally not. It’s this grind culture where we get rewarded for the longer we work and the more we do. There’s a place for that, but it breaks my heart to think that is what our impression of being successful is. I don’t see adults laugh enough.

By focusing on play, is there ever the concern you won’t be taken seriously in academia?

Yes. I was afraid I wouldn’t be seen as a serious scholar because I did things like improv and applied theater in my college classroom. And I had a similar fear in my leadership role as dean. But there are studies that show when you laugh, you reduce your cortisol levels, and that can help to improve your cardiovascular health and even immunity. And there are professional organizations like the Association for Study of Play that do high-level research on play and its benefits. At this point, people know that I’m serious when I need to be. I hope it sends a message to students that you can both be a serious scholar and find some places to have fun.

Photo: Peter Murphy