A Community of Practice for Faculty
Playful Practices, Shared Possibilities
Connect & Explore
The Playful Community of Practice (PCoP) is dedicated to connecting with colleagues to explore the powerful outcomes and possibilities of playful practices across our diverse campus community. Our community benefits from interdisciplinary perspectives, as play looks/feels/sounds different depending on each unique educator's context.
What Playful Teaching Looks Like
Origins & Motivations: Faculty are often drawn to play as a way to resist rigid traditions and re-energize their teaching.
Characteristics of Playful Educators: Adaptability, joy, creativity, organization, and self-acceptance all help bring play to life.
Purpose of Play: Playful practices support learning, help students connect knowledge, strengthen classroom community, and nurture socio-emotional growth.
Context & Challenges: Play isn’t always simple—faculty face stereotypes about what “serious teaching” looks like, navigate restrictive course structures, and learn to embrace surprises along the way. Transparency, flexibility, and a willingness to “fail forward” make play sustainable.
Why It Matters
Playful teaching isn’t just about having fun—it’s about making our classrooms more engaging, inclusive, and human. A playful approach invites curiosity, supports student confidence, and builds the kind of community that helps both students and faculty thrive.
Join the Conversation
As colleagues at Cabrillo, we are invited to explore how play might look in our own teaching. What playful practices have you tried? What could you imagine trying? This is a chance to share, experiment, and grow together as part of a Playful Community of Practice.
Let's Collaborate!
Are you interested in learning more or developing playful teaching practices for your class? Please email rachelis@cabrillo.edu to schedule a one-on-one appointment.