pigs and play

AUGUST 6, 2022 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” — Frederick Douglass

This is a story about the importance of a strong play foundation for piglets.

(I mean children.)

The Three Little Pigs

Part One:

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs: Penelope, Patrick, and Peter.

Penelope spent her youth in her pigpen, primarily watching people and animals prance around on screens, pretending to be something other than what they really were. She knew all the latest, most popular animal trends and as a teenager spent her waking hours maintaining her “streaks” and predictably posting on social media. Penelope’s most prized possession was her phone, which she placed protectively under her pillow every night.

As a very young pig, Patrick was sent to a Private Pig School where he spent his waking hours playing on several sports teams, participating in numerous extracurricular activities, and constantly studying for his AP (Advanced Pig) courses. Not a minute of Patrick’s life was wasted. He looked forward to a future in “the real world,” which his parents had been preparing him for since he was a very young piglet. To be honest, the future seemed a lot less stressful and hectic than his past and present life. His most prized possessions were his numerous trophies and certificates, proving his perfect pig status.

Peter Pig also had a phone and occasionally posted on social media. As a teenage pig, he also played a team sport and took AP courses, but as a little pig, he primarily played. Hour after hour, day after day he played around the farm- every chance he had. He got into scrapes and then figured out how to get out of them. He made friends with the other animals, and over the years grew and learned about himself and others. He knew most everything about his farm community and knew most everything about the animals who lived there! Peter’s most prized possessions were his playmates and his personal experiences.

Part Two:

One day the three young adult pigs set out to begin their lives. Their first task was to build their houses.

Penelope was exhausted by the whole ordeal and quickly constructed a house of straw. Unfortunately, her house had hardly any foundation. When a troublesome wolf came along, (as it always does) the straw house just didn’t stand a chance. Poor Penelope had no idea what to do, and no motivation to do anything anyway. She posted a picture of her destroyed house, then moved in with her cousin, Prunella. Unfortunately, she primarily spent her days staring at the screen of her phone, being both distracted and entertained. Not having any real-world skills, and no real motivation, she had to depend on others for her basic needs for the rest of her life.

Patrick had many skills, but few were relevant to living in the real world. Mostly, he had excellent test-taking skills. Unfortunately, no one was currently hiring a professional test taker. Patrick was also burned out from being “on” all the time, and the stress and pressure of constantly competing were beginning to get to him. The stick house he made looked very neat and nice, but his house lacked a strong foundation. When a troublesome wolf came along, (as it always does) his house didn’t blow away completely, but there was significant damage. It would be a lot of work to rebuild. Unfortunately, Patrick had been working all his life and just couldn’t muster the energy to fix his house. So, he moved back in with his parents. Perhaps in a year or so he would try it again.

Peter planned his house thoughtfully, (executive functioning skills) bartered with his neighbors for materials, (social skills), and was determined to do things right, even if it took a while (emotional skills.) Peter’s house had a strong foundation. When a troublesome wolf came along, (as it always does) Peter’s house, with a solid stone foundation, remained standing. And he lived and played happily ever after!

The End.

P.S. A strong, healthy foundation is important for all children. But it is absolutely essential for those children who live in neighborhoods with resident wolves.

Play on, my friends!

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” — Frederick Douglass This is a story about the importance of a strong play foundation for piglets. (I mean children.) The Three Little Pigs Part One: Once upon a time, there were three little pigs: Penelope, Patrick, and Peter. Penelope spent her … Continue readingpigs and play

one link between literacy & play

AUGUST 22, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

prewriting, creativity, and play

The earliest stages of the writing process can be approached in a multitude of ways. And there seem to be just as many words to describe these beginnings as there are approaches. L. Calkins describes early “planning/ rehearsal,” (Calkins, 2020) J. Serravallo refers to “generating ideas,” (Serravallo, 2017) R. Fletcher talks of “seed ideas” (Fletcher, 2020) and G. Heard begins with “Heart Maps.” (Heard, 2016) There are also numerous other approaches and terms, such as brainstorming, pre-writing, doodling, storyboarding, outlining, and freewriting.

Whatever terms and approaches writers choose to begin the writing process, they all have something in common. The beginning is filled with thinking and imagining what could be. It is a creative process. Imagining possibilities and creating something that wasn’t there before is the pastime of both authors and artists, as well as, instinctively, children. Childhood is the ideal time to encourage and nurture creative thinking!

Creativity cannot be bought, or forced, or learned with flashcards. So how do we encourage the development of creativity in our students? Through play! Neuroscientific research shows a clear link between play experiences and the development of creativity and problem-solving skills. Play actually changes the connections of the neurons in the prefrontal cortex. These changes play a critical role in executive functioning skills, essential for our ability to make connections, make plans, and creatively solve problems. (Hamilton, 2014)

The more opportunities our students have to play, the more experiences they will have to practice creative thinking, which is a universal characteristic of the earliest stages of the writing process. Dr. Stuart Brown, psychiatrist, and researcher noted that among so many other benefits, “Play lies at the core of creativity and innovation.” (Brown & Vaughan, 2010) Through play, our students explore reality as well as possibilities. Stated another way, play is an opportunity to define the box, as well as to think outside the box.

As teachers, when we model, scaffold, and support our students’ pre-writing experiences, we should prioritize creative thinking. It is easy to get lost in academic skills and strategies and forget how important creativity and problem-solving are to the writing process, especially in the earliest, pre-writing stages. Carl Jung, best known for his work in developmental psychiatry, noted that “The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct.” Whenever possible, we should encourage and nurture this play instinct, which is the foundation for creativity.

Play on, my friends!

prewriting, creativity, and play The earliest stages of the writing process can be approached in a multitude of ways. And there seem to be just as many words to describe these beginnings as there are approaches. L. Calkins describes early “planning/ rehearsal,” (Calkins, 2020) J. Serravallo refers to “generating ideas,” (Serravallo, 2017) R. Fletcher talks … Continue readingone link between literacy & play

rethinking the cow path

JULY 31, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Around the world, there are hundreds of cities that are burdened by daily traffic jams. I cannot imagine that anyone ever anticipated there would be so many cars. In fact, in the world’s oldest communities, the streets were around long before cars even existed! When the earliest motorized vehicles showed up, they simply used the convenient paths that pedestrians, horse carriages (and yes, possibly cows) had been using for years. Ralph Waldo Emerson joked: “We say the cows laid out Boston. Well, there are worse surveyors.” Although the accuracy of Emerson’s statement is debatable, the problem remains. As our populations have grown and our need for transportation has increased, daily maneuvering has become a stressful and sometimes costly endeavor for many people. In cities around the world, the streets are simply not meeting the needs of the community.

Our schools face a similar problem. The approaches, routines, and traditions of our centuries-old school systems are simply not meeting the needs of our current society. What our students needed to be functioning members of a society in, say, 1925, is not at all what they need now. The world has drastically changed due to technology, and replacing a chalkboard with a smartboard and textbooks with digital books is simply not enough to prepare our students to be successful. “Today, the United States has one of the highest high school dropout rates in the world. Among students who do complete high school and go on to college, nearly half require remedial courses, and nearly half never graduate… [Schools need] to prepare all students for college, careers, and the innovation-based economy in which they will make their living. (https://www.ed.gov/k-12reforms) Just like our city streets, our schools are no longer meeting the needs of our students. It is time to rethink the cow paths.

So, what is the solution? Do we simply need more of the same? In our congested cities, should the streets be expanded to allow more cars to maneuver? We could get rid of some local businesses and knock down a bunch of historic buildings to make room for more roads. In fact, a few cities have already taken this approach. However, it is short-sighted and requires an unpalatable and costly sacrifice.

In the same way, some schools have expanded their academic blocks, simply doing more of the same. Along the way, they have sacrificed parts of the school day, such as social studies, Phys. ed, recess, and fine arts classes. Another alarming trend is the increase in “academic rigor” in early elementary classrooms, including the implementation of high-stakes testing in preschools. But these “more of the same” approaches are short-sighted, and sacrificing the developmental needs of our children has proven to be both unpalatable and costly.

Widening the cow path is not the solution. We need to innovate. And more of the same is not innovation, it is inertia. Wise city planners take into account future community needs as well as predictable human behaviors. They think long-term and work with human nature, not against it. For example, if they are convenient and inexpensive, people will use bike rentals and perhaps opt for public transportation. Another innovative approach is the offering of tax incentives to city businesses, allowing their employees to telecommute which will reduce the amount of rush-hour traffic. Given the option, most people prefer to telecommute for at least part of the workweek. Whenever possible we should work with, not against, human nature.

In the same way, wise educational stakeholders should take into account the experiences and skills our students will need to be successful in our quickly-changing society. In the classrooms of our youngest learners, we should consider how to best use children’s natural curiosity and play-instincts as learning catalysts, rather than ignoring or trying to suppress them. In education, it is especially important that we work with, not against, human nature. It is time to rethink the cow paths.

Play on, my friends!

“In play, it is as though the child were trying to jump above the level of his normal behavior.” -L. Vygotsky

JULY 20, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

I once observed four kindergarten students during our Play-Based Centers block. They had neatly placed several sight word cards in a pocket chart at the School Center and arranged themselves on the rug. Having set up their space, they were now taking turns pretending to be me. This is both flattering and alarming as most children are astounding mimics, often detecting and imitating mannerisms we don’t even know we have! (Apparently, I say “Let’s see. . .” quite a bit.)

Sam, a natural-born leader, even at the tender age of five, was the first “teacher” and was asking his three “students” to find a sight word in the pocket chart when given a clue. This was a familiar routine. We reviewed sight words each day, where I asked questions designed to help them notice word features. For example, I might say: “Find the word that has an /t/ sound at the end.” or “Find a word with six letters.”

Sam praised his “students” with several high fives as they easily found the sight words matching his clues. I grinned at the general cuteness of the scene. I was once again reminded of how much I love seeing my students enthusiastically weave our academic and positive behavioral reinforcement routines into their play. It’s like watching my own kids happily eat their vegetables, and then ask for seconds.

As I jotted down some notes on their play, Sam paused, clearly considering his next clue, a little annoyed that his friends had figured them out so quickly. “Ok, let’s see. . . ready for a challenge? Here’s a tricky one. . . Find the word that has two syllables and four letters.” My amused grin faded and was replaced by genuine surprise. I had introduced syllables to the class a couple of days ago. We had played a game, sung a song, and clapped the syllables in each of their names. But I had not yet talked about syllables in my sight word review. Ben had quite naturally taken their play to the next level, pulling ideas from separate classroom experiences to create a “challenge” for his friends.

This is only one example of how, given a low-pressure environment with time for self-directed, free-choice activities, children naturally create new and increasingly complex connections. I have seen this again and again during PBC. Their play often transforms learning from isolated and scattered ingredients into a rich, and satisfying feast. Learning comes alive during Play-Based Centers, often going well beyond the minimum mandated curriculum covered during our regular academic blocks.

Russian psychiatrist Lev S. Vygotsky states: “In play, a child is always above his average age, above his daily behavior; in play, it is as though he were a head taller than himself. As in the focus of a magnifying glass, play contains all developmental tendencies in a condensed form; in play, it is as though the child were trying to jump above the level of his normal behavior” (Mind in Society, 1967, 16).

Play on, my friends!

I once observed four kindergarten students during our Play-Based Centers block. They had neatly placed several sight word cards in a pocket chart at the School Center and arranged themselves on the rug. Having set up their space, they were now taking turns pretending to be me. This is both flattering and alarming as most … Continue reading“In play, it is as though the child were trying to jump above the level of his normal behavior.” -L. Vygotsky

March 27, 2020, is International SEL Day!

FEBRUARY 8, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

From selday.org:

The Urban Assembly and SEL4US invite communities across the globe to celebrate the importance of social-emotional learning (SEL) on the first annual International SEL Day on March 27, 2020.

We know that SEL changes lives.

Studies show that SEL provides many benefits to students—from improved social-emotional skills, well-being and behavior to improved academic outcomes—and these results are long-term and global, with proven positive impact up to 18 years later on academics, conduct problems, emotional distress, and drug use.

SEL competencies are also critically important for long-term success in today’s economy.

We know you get it, but many members of our communities don’t know about SEL yet.

Join the Movement!

Partners

From selday.org: The Urban Assembly and SEL4US invite communities across the globe to celebrate the importance of social-emotional learning (SEL) on the first annual International SEL Day on March 27, 2020. We know that SEL changes lives. Studies show that SEL provides many benefits to students—from improved social-emotional skills, well-being and behavior to improved academic … Continue readingMarch 27, 2020, is International SEL Day!

That which we call a (toy) rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

FEBRUARY 5, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

During Play-Based Centers the objects at each center are referred to as “materials,” and not as “toys.” There are two reasons for this.

First, most items at the centers would not actually be categorized as toys. For example, magnifying glasses, scissors, dry erase markers, yoga mats, and books are not usually labeled as toys. The word “materials” better encompasses the wide range of objects that might be used during PBC.

The second reason that the term “materials” is recommended, is simply because the word “toys” has a common association with experiences that are frivolous and have no value or purpose. This bias is especially true in schools, where it sometimes feels like every minute is scheduled and every experience must have a defined objective and predetermined purpose. As though no learning is possible unless it has been planned ahead and rigidly controlled by an adult. (Yes, this is sad but true. And better left to another blog post. . .)

Consider these two sentences that describe the exact same action:

Mari played with toy flowers at the Imagination Center, during our daily playtime.
Mari explored with materials at the Imagination Center, during our daily PBC block.

See the difference? The words we choose matter. And unfortunately, until the play-instinct is better recognized and valued in education, we must choose our words carefully or jeopardize the credibility of our efforts.

At the Imagination Center, where students have created a Florist Shop, Mari carefully arranges silk roses. And yes, to Mari they smell just as sweet, whether we call them toys or materials.

Play on, my friends!

During Play-Based Centers the objects at each center are referred to as “materials,” and not as “toys.” There are two reasons for this. First, most items at the centers would not actually be categorized as toys. For example, magnifying glasses, scissors, dry erase markers, yoga mats, and books are not usually labeled as toys. The … Continue readingThat which we call a (toy) rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

pigs and play

JANUARY 31, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” — Frederick Douglass

This is a story about the importance of a strong play foundation for piglets.

(I mean children.)

The Three Little Pigs

Part One:

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs: Penelope, Patrick, and Peter.

Part Two:

One day the three young adult pigs set out to begin their lives. Their first task was to build their houses.

The End.

P.S. A strong, healthy foundation is important for all children. But it is absolutely essential for those children who live in neighborhoods with resident wolves.

Play on, my friends!

survival mode vs learning mode

JANUARY 28, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Let’s take a brief look at the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, and how toxic stress affects learning.

Your amygdala (there are actually two of them, so technically amygdalae) is the part of your brain that is responsible for helping you survive. It is closely connected to your senses. Your prefrontal cortex, on the other hand, is responsible for higher-level thinking, problem-solving and the superstar of the show: executive functioning.

The amygdala is great for when your kitchen is on fire. Like an internal siren, it gets “turned up” to high volume and then helps you deal with the crisis, and ultimately survive. However, let’s say that for some reason, parts of your house kept catching on fire. After awhile your amygdala would just stay “turned up” to maximize efficiency and begin taking a more active role at all times, even when there are no fires insight. You would likely become hypervigilant about potential fires. That’s reasonable, really. Your brain has adapted to your circumstances. It thinks: “Man, there are a lot of fires in this life. Better be on the alert, pay attention, be ready at all times. We need to be in survival mode!” Your prefrontal cortex is great for learning and all, but given the threat of fires, it gladly takes a back seat to make way for your amygdala, which is doing its job, keeping you alive. It reminds you to scan your environment for danger and be ready at a moment’s notice to react to any and all real or potential threats, whatever form they might take.

Even when you leave your fire-prone house, your amygdala remains “on”, and you will continue to scan your environment for signs of danger. You’ll be on the alert for the first hint of smoke. Maybe you’ll start carrying around a fire extinguisher. You will also question your relationships. Are the people in your life liabilities? Will they get in the way of your escape plan? Could they actually be responsible for starting fires? Not surprisingly, you might have trouble making or keeping healthy relationships. Transitions and new situations will be especially challenging, and you might experience frequent anxiety or even have occasional panic attacks. You’re in survival mode, and surviving takes a lot out of you. You just can’t invest much into growing and thriving when you’re primarily focused on surviving.

When our students experience one or more Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs), they become increasingly likely to have their amygdalae “turned up” and stuck on high, leaving the prefrontal cortex taking a back seat. That’s reasonable, really. Their brains have adapted to their circumstances- sadly, they are in survival mode. Unfortunately, the prefrontal cortex is pretty important in school. Actually, it’s essential.

Just like in our hypothetical fire example, these students are in survival mode, and surviving takes a lot out of them. Their prefrontal cortexes just can’t invest much into growing and learning when they’re in survival mode with their amygdalae turned up high. So, instead of giving their whole focus and attention to the people around them (such as teachers) who are asking them to remember things (like spelling words) their amygdalae are orchestrating neurological and physiological vigilance for potential threats.

So, what can be done to help our students who are in “survival mode”? Research shows that play decreases amygdala activity and increases prefrontal cortex activity. And not just in the moment. The benefits of even small amounts of play can actually help heal the damage of toxic stress from the past as well as create a protective factor against future stress. (PEDIATRICS Volume 142, number 3, September 2018, http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/08/06/336361277/scientists-say-childs-play-helps-build-a-better-brain)

Play really is a brain changer.

Play on, my friends!

Let’s take a brief look at the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, and how toxic stress affects learning. Your amygdala (there are actually two of them, so technically amygdalae) is the part of your brain that is responsible for helping you survive. It is closely connected to your senses. Your prefrontal cortex, on the other … Continue readingsurvival mode vs learning mode

silicon spoons

JANUARY 24, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Many children are born with a silicon spoon in their mouths. The entertaining morsels served up on that silicon spoon are so enticing and addictive that, not surprisingly, students have little appetite for anything else. Unfortunately, what’s consumed by our young children has very little nutritional value. Maybe their devices are “connected,” but our children are starving for real-life connections and meaningful relationships.

Play is how children learn about themselves and the world around them and is an essential ingredient for growing healthy humans. As teachers, we can choose to work with this natural play instinct or we can ignore, or even attempt to suppress it. Play-Based Centers is designed to harness this play-instinct and give our students a daily dose of meaningful connections through play, fueling their days with joy and strengthening their academic, social and emotional skills.

Play on, my friends!

a daily feast

JANUARY 21, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

I like to think of Play-Based Centers as a daily feast! We have given our students interesting and useful ingredients and tools, through intentionally chosen materials and crafted, themed spaces. Our students are not chefs, they have not yet mastered culinary skills. So we have also modeled how to make certain recipes and taught them basic techniques, through guided play, and explicit instruction during and outside of PBC block.

But someone does not become a master chef by memorizing recipes or by watching other people cook. Although these are valuable experiences, they are not the most important part of learning the art and science of cooking.

In order to improve any skill, we must have opportunities for meaningful practice. And in order to become life-long, passionate learners, we must have the opportunity to make meaningful connections through self-directed experiences.

Play-Based Centers is an ideal opportunity for our students to experience the freedom to explore, practice, build skills, create, and make connections. And maybe to begin to master the art and science of becoming.

Play on, my friends.

musings on water and dead bugs

JANUARY 17, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

It is surprisingly easy to bring the academic topics and concepts covered during whole-class instruction to your Play-Based Centers block. PBC allows opportunities for enrichment and exploration that there simply isn’t time for during your regular academic blocks. Most importantly, students have time to approach concepts and skills from multiple perspectives, adding meaning and creating opportunities for deeper learning and authentic connections.

I once planned several whole-class science lessons on surface tension. The activities were not particularly complicated, but I did have limited materials and time. I really only had a few days to cover surface tension before we needed to move on. Honestly, how is anything supposed to stick in only three days, no matter how awesome my lessons are? With unlimited materials and time, I would have set up separate stations and had the students rotate through each one over several days. Then, I would have returned to the topic several times over the next year. However, this was not an option. Thanking my lucky stars that I worked at a school that still allocated time for science at all, I opted for a few quick teacher demonstrations. After these, I simply transferred and then rotated the demo materials through the Science Center. For more than a month, small groups of students eagerly played and explored using the materials. At first, they tried the demonstrations again, mimicking what I had done. And then, they began creating their own explorations. At times they requested other materials and I added and removed items to encourage their play and creativity. Some students recorded their explorations by drawing or writing on scrap paper attached to clipboards at the center. (I often leave paper on clipboards and pencils at the centers to encourage, but not require, observations and documentation.) During Ch.E.C.K.-ins I encouraged their use of content vocabulary, self-directed inquiry, and active learning. In winter, as the temperatures dropped, our science lessons touched on states of matter, and how liquid water can become solid ice. The students recalled their explorations of surface tension and asked interesting questions, connecting their earlier observations at the Science Center to this new topic. One or twice we brought in a bucket of ice and snow collected during recess and left it at the Science Center. Observing the way it melted and eventually evaporated. In the spring, we studied the changes taking place in ponds. I reminded the students of their previous water explorations, and the students were engaged and eager to talk about the different ways that surface tension affected the plant and animal life in ponds. I added some large, sealed containers of pond water to the Science Center and the students made observations using magnifying glasses. They noticed the pollen and other objects floating on the top. They also had an interesting exchange about the fact that while some bugs can stay on top of the water due to surface tension, some dead bugs in the container had sunk. After that, several students visited the Art & Design Center, extending their connections by creating drawings and dioramas of ponds. There may or may not have been a few dead bugs included in their artwork.

Play on, my friends!

the gift of time

JANUARY 7, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

What is the number one teacher complaint? There just isn’t enough time!

Play-Based Centers is a daily, flexible block of time to address the numerous challenges that teachers face. And honestly, they grow more numerous with each passing year. But there are some years that I am especially thankful for PBC.

One Friday, mid-year, I joined Anne, our school BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) during my PBC block. She had been observing Liam, a non-verbal student in my kindergarten class with an Autism diagnosis. I was especially thankful for Play-Based Centers that year, which allowed time for Anne and me to consult and gave us both an opportunity to observe and build rapport with Liam. Noticing his frequent preference for the Building and Engineering Center, which currently had wooden trains, Anne had set up a behavioral plan, with visual supports, that included extra time to play with the wooden train set as an incentive. Anne and I were able to introduce and practice using this and other supports, such as social stories, with Liam during the play block.

Several weeks later, when doing Ch.E.C.K.-ins, I noticed that during PBC, Liam frequently played with another student named Andy. Mostly it was parallel play, although we had seen some increased interactions between the boys over the last week or so. Andy was a patient and relaxed child, who seemed to accept Liam’s sometimes unexpected behaviors without concern. I documented these observations, and a few days later, when assigning partners for a math sequencing activity, I knew just who to put Liam with.

Liam’s year in kindergarten was not perfect, there were certainly challenges. But it was a good year. A year of progress. Progress that would not have been possible without PBC. Anne and I had the opportunity to establish a relationship with Liam early in the year, and to help him understand and generalize expected behaviors throughout the year. Having the time and flexibility to focus on his needs during PBC made all the difference. As Anne and I observed Liam that day, she smiled and said, “This has been so good for him. Time to play is exactly what he needs.” I completely agreed. In fact, the gift of time is exactly what we all need.

Play on, my friends!

What is the number one teacher complaint? There just isn’t enough time! Play-Based Centers is a daily, flexible block of time to address the numerous challenges that teachers face. And honestly, they grow more numerous with each passing year. But there are some years that I am especially thankful for PBC. One Friday, mid-year, I joined … Continue readingthe gift of time

The Ch.E.C.K.-in method

JANUARY 5, 2020 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

During Play-Based Centers, teachers might use the Ch.E.C.K.-in method during guided play, or on occasion as an approach to peer conflicts. Ch.E.C.K.-in stands for: Challenge, Encourage & Engage, Create Connections, & Keep Listening. PBC teachers can use one or more of these approaches when interacting with their students. I believe that the most important of these is to Keep Listening. Here is a little story to help better explain this method:

Once there were two neighbors who shared a lemon tree growing on the border of their properties. One morning, the neighbors found themselves both reaching for the last lemon on that tree. Unfortunately, what began as neighborly greetings quickly escalated into a shouting match about who should get the last lemon. A wise and respected neighbor heard the commotion and joined them to try to mediate. The wise neighbor calmly used the Ch.E.C.K. in method. First, he Challenged them- was there another approach to solving this conflict rather than shouting at one another? The neighbors reluctantly agreed it would be fair to share the lemon by cutting it in half. Next, the wise neighbor Encouraged their willingness to compromise and to take into account the other’s feelings and perspective. Next, the wise neighbor helped them make Connections to one another by helping them recall the ways that they had always been good friends in the past and noted that their positive relationship shouldn’t end on account of such a small thing. They agreed and shook hands. Finally, he Kept Listening to them, which surprisingly revealed that one neighbor wanted only the lemon zest to make a lemon pepper steak rub, and the other neighbor wanted only the lemon juice to make blueberry-lemon muffins. Laughing together, the neighbors agreed to share the lemon in such a way that each got what was wanted. That night, they celebrated their friendship with a delicious steak dinner and muffins for dessert. The wise neighbor joined them having made, with the leftover rind, a delicious sangria. The End!

P.S. Don’t actually bring sangria to your classroom. That’s generally frowned upon. And, don’t forget- play on my friends!

During Play-Based Centers, teachers might use the Ch.E.C.K.-in method during guided play, or on occasion as an approach to peer conflicts. Ch.E.C.K.-in stands for: Challenge, Encourage & Engage, Create Connections, & Keep Listening. PBC teachers can use one or more of these approaches when interacting with their students. I believe that the most important of … Continue readingThe Ch.E.C.K.-in method

winter clothing hassle or hustle?

DECEMBER 31, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Every year most of my young students come into kindergarten unable to get their cold-weather outerwear on independently. Usually, it isn’t that they can’t, it’s just that they haven’t. I understand how it happens! It is so much faster and easier for a parent to zip a coat for their child rather than having them practice doing it themselves. But in a classroom, with a herd of kids, independence skills are highly valued. So, to save our sanity, teachers usually make an initial investment of time and energy to work on independence skills.

We spend time modeling, for example, how to fix inside-out sleeves. Explicitly teaching them, for example, if you put your wet socks in your coat pockets, your coat will get wet and dirty. We often use think-aloud techniques. “Let’s see, if you put your mittens on first it will be very tricky to button your jacket. So button your jacket first, and then put your mittens on.” And finally, most importantly, allowing them time to practice. We are still there to encourage and scaffold as needed, for example, with getting a zipper started. We work toward independence, practicing gradual release. And, after some practice, the winter clothing hassle becomes the winter clothing hustle. The kids are like a well-oiled machine!

In the same way, it isn’t that our young students can’t self-monitor or self-regulate, it’s that they have very little practice with these and other social and emotional skills. As teachers of young children, helping them develop these skills is crucial. We know this. But do we really spend the time and energy to prioritize social and emotional learning? Do we embrace the opportunities to work on these skills, or rather, avoid them, considering it an added hassle and “not my job”? Don’t get me wrong, I am well aware that it can be exhausting helping young children learn social and emotional skills! It requires intention and an investment of time, just like the winter clothing hustle.

In the same way, we can increase our students’ social and emotional skills through explicit instruction, modeling, think-aloud techniques, encouragement, scaffolding, and gradual release. And finally, most importantly, allowing them time to authentically practice these skills- through play!

Play on, my friends!

Every year most of my young students come into kindergarten unable to get their cold-weather outerwear on independently. Usually, it isn’t that they can’t, it’s just that they haven’t. I understand how it happens! It is so much faster and easier for a parent to zip a coat for their child rather than having them … Continue readingwinter clothing hassle or hustle?

childhood ends at kindergarten?

DECEMBER 26, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

There is an overwhelming amount of research showing that children learn best through play. However, according to the reasoning of an influential, yet ignorant few, apparently “childhood” actually ends around four years old! Too often, educational stakeholders impose an adult work ethic on the classrooms of young children. Children are clearly not small adults, yet often our classroom expectations reflect that way of thinking. We would not expect a beginning pianist to play Bach’s Goldberg Variations. We would not expect a child who has just mastered the tricycle to race in the Tour de France. Why on earth would we expect young children to have the skills and stamina to learn and behave like adults?

Here is a surprise to some: childhood does not end at 4 or 5 or even 6 or 7. Early childhood is commonly defined as 3 to 8 years old, and Middle childhood as 9 to 11 years old. Another interesting newsflash: research shows that play and other self-directed activities are essential to meaningful learning throughout our entire lives. Brain neuroplasticity occurs most profoundly in infancy and early childhood (again, birth to 8-years-old,) but research shows that the formation and pruning of neural connections actually continue throughout our lives.

(http://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/brain-architecture/)

Perhaps, instead of falling victim to recent “push-down” academic pressures, we should, in fact, consider a robust “push-up” play policy!

“Play during the teen years and into adulthood helps the brain develop even more connectivity, especially in the frontal lobe which is the center for planning and making good decisions.” The Benefits of Play, By Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D.

dancing penguins

DECEMBER 24, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

I once knew a sweet and dedicated teacher who spent hours creating what she considered “learning through play.” They were mostly sight-word activities on themed paper. Cute, themed paper and pencil tasks. She proudly informed me that they included “play”: cutting and gluing letters to make words. These tasks were mandatory, teacher-directed, product-driven, with no choices or variation. But, because the worksheet had dancing penguins and involved the children doing more than sitting, she considered it “learning through play.” I’m not saying that what this dedicated teacher was doing was not a fun way to motivate kids to work on sight words. We all need more fun in our lives! But it wasn’t play. Neither are “fun” songs that help you memorize lists of facts. Adding song and dance to the day is certainly fun, and has value, but all of these things are not play- they are playful. These playful activities are not a replacement for play any more than looking at someone’s pictures of a recent vacation is like having been there. ”Don’t these pictures of me in Hawaii make you feel like you are actually there?” Um, no not really.

The first requirement of authentic play is that it is freely chosen. Just because you, as the teacher, believe your students will enjoy something, it doesn’t redefine that activity as play. Have you ever been invited to or involved in an activity that others find fun, but you consider boring, or even torturous? Here are some examples of activities people enjoy: skydiving, partying at a high-end nightclub, tailgating, spending an afternoon at an art museum, rock climbing, binge-watching sitcoms, scrapbooking, line dancing, camping, a day at the beach, gardening, spending a weekend at a casino, preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for 30, singing karaoke, pet sitting, visiting an exotic destination, horseback riding, and paintball fighting. If you could choose one, what would it be? Would your spouse have chosen the same thing or your neighbor? As individuals, our preferences vary widely! Our students are no different. They may politely or genuinely enjoy what their teachers have chosen for them to do. Or they may be indifferent, or find it torturous! But, in order for something to be authentically play, it must first be freely chosen, not chosen by others for you, no matter how well-intentioned. We certainly need more dancing penguins in our lives, but they are no substitute for authentic play!

Play on, my friends!

“In today’s world, many parents do not appreciate the importance of free play or guided play with their children and have come to think of worksheets and other highly structured activities as play.‍ –PEDIATRICS Volume 142, number 3, September 2018 5 Downloaded from http://www.aappublications.org/news by guest on December 31, 2018

an assessment game-changer

DECEMBER 20, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

When I first started teaching kindergarten, I followed a school purchased math program, which began with zero and systematically marched forward laying the foundations of early number sense. I soldiered through each scripted lesson, ignoring the fact that many of my students could already recognize most, if not all, of these early numbers. It didn’t take long to realize that this was an unnecessary waste of time. However, before Play-Based Centers, I just didn’t feel I had the time to check in with each student individually to assess their early math skills. It was difficult enough to find time to do post-lesson assessments, let alone pre-tests or mid-topic assessments to check for understanding. In general, it is extremely challenging to do whole-class assessments with early elementary students. And some assessments simply must be completed one to one or in very small groups. What was I supposed to do with the rest of the students while I assessed one at a time?!

Play-Based Centers is an assessment game-changer. Now during daily PBC block, while the students are actively engaged in their play, I can quickly and easily complete whatever assessments are needed.

For example, in early September, I did mini push-ins during PBC, asking each student to identify numerals on flashcards. It took about 30 seconds per student and I soon had timely data showing exactly who knew what. This was a quick, informal assessment that immediately informed my teaching plans. I now knew which numbers to review during whole-class instruction, as well as which students should be pulled during PBC for some additional pre-lesson support.

This is one of the many reasons I love PBC- it helps me to work smarter, not harder!

Play on my friends!

bleeding potatoes

DECEMBER 16, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Play Based Centers is a chance for me to really notice my students. Not only do I gain valuable insights into their academic, social and emotional skills, but also who they are as individuals. Their concerns and fears, their interests and preferences . . .

I grab a clipboard and do a quick Ch.E.C.K.-in at the Whiteboard Center. Two students are there. Talia and Kedra are drawing what appears to be potatoes but turns out to be volcanos. I say, “You’re working well together! Tell me about your drawings.” Talia beams and responds eagerly, pointing to various parts of his picture. He concludes by pointing out a volcano vent. I smile and nod supportively as he labels the vent with a large “V.” We had a mini-lesson about labeling in writer’s workshop last week, and I’m glad to see Talia independently putting the skill into practice. I make a note and then turn to Kedra, a quiet ELL, who is intently watching his friend. Kedra is a BICS learner who has mostly been silent since the start of the year. I ask, “Are you also drawing a volcano, Kedra?” He nods, and then points to his own picture, chirping “Vent!” He labels his picture as well. “Awesome job, guys!” I say.

There are high fives all around, then I retrieve my red dry erase markers so they can make lava. I recognize that I’m taking a chance by allowing them to use certain materials. However, almost always, the kids rise to the occasion and take responsibility for the materials. It is well worth an occasional dried out marker to build responsibility and independence skills. I remind the boys to close the lids tightly when they’re done so that the markers won’t dry out. Talia and Kedra beam at each other and continue their pictures. I smile at the growing friendship and make a note to seat Kedra next to Talia when I change the seating chart next week. PBC gives me valuable perspectives into my students’ ever-changing social preferences and skills. It is enormously useful to have these insights when I am considering student groupings, or in this case, when wanting to use peer-partnering as a strategy for a specific student. I turn back to see the young friends hard at work on their pictures, which now look like bleeding potatoes.

Play Based Centers is a chance for me to really notice my students. Not only do I gain valuable insights into their academic, social and emotional skills, but also who they are as individuals. Their concerns and fears, their interests and preferences . . . I grab a clipboard and do a quick Ch.E.C.K.-in … Continue readingbleeding potatoes

the emperor’s new curriculum

DECEMBER 10, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

As new academic programs and initiatives are presented with great fanfare during professional development, and the latest and greatest curriculums are paraded down school corridors, whispering can be heard from behind classroom doors. The Emperor’s new curricula are shocking and many teachers are extremely concerned about the increasing expectations for elementary classrooms. And yet, most teachers are afraid to point out the obvious flaws in these new curricula. Not surprisingly, the newest teachers are usually silent. They don’t want to be accused of being incompetent, unprepared, or unable to handle the expectations their schools and districts have set for their young students. And often, seasoned teachers are silent. They don’t want to be accused of being ignorant, rigid, or reluctant to embrace the glorious innovations and changes occurring in early education.

But the fact remains, something is terribly wrong. Who will be brave and risk criticism? It is the children who tell the truth, often in silence. Are we listening? Anxiety, stress, disruptive behaviors, decreasing attendance rates, increasing expulsion rates, and most alarmingly, self-harm and suicide are creeping into the lives of our youngest students. The statistics are a clear sign that something is terribly wrong.

Question the Emporer’s new curriculum, and pay attention to the alarming statistics which echo the voices of our children. Most importantly, bring daily play back into the lives of our children.

let them eat (pretend) cake

DECEMBER 6, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Decades of solid research confirms that children learn best through play experiences. However, play in early elementary classrooms is rapidly diminishing and on the brink of extinction. Ask any teacher, what the biggest obstacle to play is, and you are very likely to hear- “We just don’t have time for play; we have to focus on academics.”

When lowly teachers approach the educational royalty for assistance, the response often ignores the classroom realities. In a regal, condescending tone, teachers are often told: Well, you should incorporate developmentally appropriate best practices while meeting all academic expectations.”

Um, you aren’t listening. The reality is that our students are starving for play, and we are watching them, helpless to change the realities of what school has become for our youngest learners. Don’t you think we want happier, healthier children thriving in more balanced, joyful classrooms? Teachers are daily witnesses to the stress, anxiety, and burnout of the young children in our schools. At what point do we stop blaming the teachers, who in reality are simply doing what they’re told to do, to the best of their abilities.
The real question facing those who want to follow research-based best practice is not should child-directed play be part of early elementary classrooms, but how to effectively incorporate this essential childhood experience, while meeting the ever-increasing academic demands. Daily Play Based Centers is a first step to bringing back balanced and joyful learning communities.

Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood. -Mr. Fred Rogers

Decades of solid research confirms that children learn best through play experiences. However, play in early elementary classrooms is rapidly diminishing and on the brink of extinction. Ask any teacher, what the biggest obstacle to play is, and you are very likely to hear- “We just don’t have time for play; we have to focus … Continue readinglet them eat (pretend) cake

play is practice

DECEMBER 3, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

At the start of every school year, I gather my shiny new kindergarten students together for a lesson on why they are in school. Most of them understand that they are here to learn. Surrounding that simple word is a complex tangle of questions I am thankful I don’t have to answer. Who will learn what, and when, and how much, and how do we know, and what will we do if they don’t . . . these are questions that are unraveled just enough to be knitted into dissertations and bundled up into curriculums. While the experts and educational stakeholders tackle the complicated details, to these young learners, I offer this perspective on our brief time together: “When you were little (ok, littler) you couldn’t do very much. When you were first born- you couldn’t walk or talk. You got better at these things with practice. In school, we will practice.

This makes sense to them and is the seed of an idea we will nurture throughout the year- that of a growth mindset. We honestly acknowledge and celebrate: Yes, some students are really good at writing their letters, and some students are really good at counting, and some students are really good at being kind friends, and (my personal favorite) some students are really good at lining up quietly. But we emphatically remind them that everyone can get better at all these things and more, with practice!

Each child walks into school carrying more than a backpack. They bring with them background knowledge and experiences, natural abilities and inherent challenges. Every year, elementary teachers perform a kind of educational triage. Determining who needs extra support and practice, and how much. As educators, we are first-hand witnesses to the astonishing improvement that can be made through extra support and practice.

And this is exactly what happens during Play Based Centers. Whether it is targeted practice while working toward Individual Student Goals (ISG) or active learning through free play, daily PBC is an opportunity to practice skills in all domains- communication/ language skills, cognitive skills, motor/ physical skills, and social/ emotional skills.

In fact, play is practice for life. Life is hard, we can use all the practice we can get!

At the start of every school year, I gather my shiny new kindergarten students together for a lesson on why they are in school. Most of them understand that they are here to learn. Surrounding that simple word is a complex tangle of questions I am thankful I don’t have to answer. Who will learn … Continue readingplay is practice

the play instinct

NOVEMBER 29, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

I have a pond in my backyard. By a pond, I mean, slightly larger than a puddle, about the size of a kiddie pool, sort of pond. Apparently, the previous owners of the house had constructed this mosquito breeding ground themselves. The first summer we moved in, I “stocked” the pond with a few goldfish in order to keep the mosquito population at a minimum. Unfortunately, over the winter, the pond froze almost solid, since it isn’t very deep, only about a foot or so. Several dead fish were waiting for me in the spring. Not pretty. So at the end of the next summer, I came up with an ingenious plan. I decided to rescue the new batch of goldfish before it got too cold and make my kindergarten classroom their winter home. Perfect! I gathered supplies and prepared for a fish transfer.

Have you ever tried to catch fish in a pond, with a net? It quickly became clear that this would be a challenging task. These fish were fast! An hour later, standing in the middle of the pond, in my knee-high waterproof boots, with my three children creating various distractions from the edges I still hadn’t caught a single fish. I called it a day, tossing my net on the ground and offering to pay anyone who caught a fish $20. (Never mind that I had only paid 29 cents per fish three months earlier. It’s funny, the shifting value of things. . .) But even my determined children had no luck that day.

I had accepted the fate of my energetic, yet doomed goldfish and headed to a pet store to purchase new fish for my classroom aquarium. While there, I told my story to the salesperson who snickered at my ignorance and naivety. That was when she informed me- when it gets colder, the fish will slow way down. She assured me that I would be able to scoop them up effortlessly when the temperature dropped a bit more. Some pond owners even transfer them using their hands rather than a net. And she was right. After a few cold days in October, the fish were easily caught- on the very first try.

The lesson? Nature should not be ignored. Whenever possible, work with, not against nature to get the job done! Children are like fish. Ok, not really- children are almost always energetic and don’t slow down when it gets cold.

But seriously, children have a natural instinct to play. It is their default mode of being. Play is how children learn about themselves and the world around them. We can choose to work with this natural play instinct or we can ignore, or even attempt to suppress it. Clearly, it is the wiser course to acknowledge and work with, not against, nature.

Acknowledging and working with, not against, our young children’s natural play instincts is undoubtedly the wiser course, which would result in more effective and joyful learning communities.

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but play is certainly the father. -Roger von Oech

metaplay

NOVEMBER 26, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Once, during PBC block, I observed two students at the Imagination Center. Tiny, shy Abby and boisterous, overbearing Nick, were certainly unlikely playmates. But they had already spent a good fifteen minutes happily arranging furniture in a dollhouse, and a handful of dolls had been negotiated and divided between them. Now they were setting the scene. I like to call this metaplay, and it went something like this:

Nick said, “Pretend I’m the dad and I have to go to work but I can’t find my keys. And then a robber stole my car. And it’s a mystery.” Abby chirped, “Ok, pretend that I’m from 911.” Nick began tipping the strategically placed furniture on its side. “And the robber dumped all of the things out to find my car keys, and. . .” Abby interrupted in alarm- “No, don’t dump the baby crib,” rearranging the block that apparently represented the baby crib, “because the baby is sleeping in there.” Nick paused, but accepted this demand and continued “ok, pretend. . . .” Amused, I am suddenly reminded of a different kind of “play”- that of adults in an improv group. The first rule is to accept the other person’s “pretend” and to keep going. But here, shy Abby, half Nick’s size, and definitely half his volume, stopped and altered Nick’s pretend. For her, tipping the crib was a non-negotiable. The baby was in there. Abby recognized that her ideas mattered, too. And in her play, she was practicing confidence skills and self-efficacy. And Nick, in order to keep the play going, accepted her demand and continued. He was practicing compromise and perspective taking. In their play, without even realizing it, they were successfully practicing relationship skills– one competency of the five Social and Emotional Competencies recognized as essential for healthy development by C.A.S.E.L. https://casel.org/core-competencies/

Love & Play

NOVEMBER 22, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Play is an essential part of a child’s development and children learn and grow best through rich play experiences. But what does quality play look like? The word “play” is used so frequently in everyday conversation to mean so many different things. And defining play is like defining love. We recognize it most clearly by its effects. It is not always well-timed or well controlled. Play cannot be forced, it must be freely entered into. You cannot reason yourself into play or love. It is or it is not. And it is best when done with abandon. Children are especially good at this, falling in and out of play without a moment’s hesitation.

The true object of all human life is play. -G. K. Chesterton

streetlights vs screen lights

NOVEMBER 19, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Are you from a generation that was reminded to “head home when the streetlights come on?” Well, consider yourself fortunate. Things have changed. A lot. Increasingly, a rich, play-filled childhood is an exception and a privilege of the few. Ask your average family to describe their days, and “busy” is the answer you’ll most likely get. And what about the children? Unfortunately, they just aren’t playing.

Children are now primarily spending their waking hours in scheduled, adult-directed activities. There is very little “free” time left over. And how are they spending the majority of this precious free time that is not controlled by adults? You guessed it- on screens. At one point children stopped playing when the streetlight came on, now they aren’t playing because they are distracted by the screen-lights of devices.

No one doubts the substantial benefits of technology, and I want to make it clear that I am not anti-screen time. I am however, an advocate of adult monitored, extremely limited screen use by young children. There are only so many hours in a day, and quality play is substantially reduced when screens become the primary way children spend their free time. Why does it even matter? Why are play experiences so important?

Researchers from diverse fields of study agree that play experiences provide numerous benefits that we are just beginning to understand. Conversely, the absence of quality play experiences can have negative impacts on a child’s development. So turn off those screen lights and go play!

“High-level dramatic play produces documented cognitive, social, and emotional benefits. However, with children spending more time in adult-directed activities and media use, forms of child play characterized by imagination and rich social interactions seem to be declining.” Developmentally Appropriate Practice Guidelines From: Principles of Child Development and Learning that Inform Practice Copyright © 2009 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children

Play is a Brain Changer

NOVEMBER 15, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Neuroscientists, developmental biologists, social scientists, and researchers from every point of the scientific compass now know that play is a profound biological process. -Dr. Stuart Brown, Play, How it shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul

Early play is practice for life.

Life is hard, we can use all the practice we can get! And the earlier, the better. The key to successfully playing the game of life is through executive functioning skills. The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has a helpful summary of this complex bundle of skills: “Executive function and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Just as an air traffic control system at a busy airport safely manages the arrivals and departures of many aircraft on multiple runways, the brain needs this skill set to filter distractions, prioritize tasks, set and achieve goals, and control impulses.” developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/executive-function/

Executive functioning skills are essential for success in school, career and without exaggeration- in life! Play seems to be the primary way that children gain and strengthen these skills. Using MRI technology, “researchers have found that play actually develops the part of the brain that enables a child to have executive functioning skills . . . which are essential to academic success and success in the adult years”. 7,4,22 Pretend Play and Brain Growth: The Link to Learning and Academic Success Gesell Institute of Child Development Marcy Guddemi, Ph.D., MBA Executive Director Gitta Selva Director of Programs and Editorial Services https://gesellinstitute.org/products/pretend-play-and-brain-growth-the-link-to-learning-and-academic-success

Alarmingly, statistics show that children are playing less and less each year. Several trends are contributing to this childhood decline in self-directed free time, including increases in structured, adult-led activities, and significant increases in screen-time at every age level. To put it simply- children just don’t have time to play. This significant decline in childhood play has consequences that we are just beginning to understand. In a 2018 statement on play, the American Academy of Pediatrics cautions that “Play is not frivolous: it enhances brain structure and function and promotes executive function. (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/142/3/e20182058.full.pdf)

Neuroscientists, developmental biologists, social scientists, and researchers from every point of the scientific compass now know that play is a profound biological process. -Dr. Stuart Brown, Play, How it shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul Early play is practice for life. Life is hard, we can use all the … Continue readingPlay is a Brain Changer

Playful vs Free play

NOVEMBER 12, 2019 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

Free-play, or simply “play” is defined here as freely chosen, self-directed activity, not to be confused with “playful,” adult-directed activity. Research shows that children benefit from a balance of both of these: adult-directed and self-directed experiences. Just as children benefit from both hearing books being read aloud to them by adults and practicing reading books themselves, a balanced classroom includes both adult-directed and child-directed experiences.

Of course children learn through playful activities, but let’s remember what free play really means! Teacher-led songs and games are wonderful, but they are by no means a substitute for free play. Let’s not forget this!

Adult directed play is not “free-Play. . .”. “Free play is the means by which children learn to make friends, overcome their fears, solve their own problems, and generally take control of their own lives. It is also the primary means by which children practice and acquire the physical and intellectual skills that are essential for success in the culture in which they are growing . . . –Peter Gray, Free to Learn

“In today’s world, many parents do not appreciate the importance of free play or guided play with their children and have come to think of worksheets and other highly structured activities as play.‍ -PEDIATRICS Volume 142, number 3, September 2018 5 Downloaded from http://www.aappublications.org/news by guest on December 31, 2018 Free-play, or simply “play” is … Continue readingPlayful vs Free play

Play Deficit- an alarming trend

JULY 7, 2017 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

“Neuroscientists, developmental biologists, social scientists, and researchers from every point of the scientific compass now know that play is a profound biological process.”

-Stuart Brown Play, How it shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and invigorates the Soul

What happens when play, a “profound biological process” is interrupted? Unfortunately it is becoming increasingly clear. The consequences of play deficit are alarming, both to individuals and communities. . .

All Work and No Play: Why Your Kids Are More Anxious, Depressed

The Loss of Children’s Play: A Public Health Issue

Sixty minutes of daily unstructured free play is essential to children’s physical and mental health. (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2008)

The decline of play | Peter Gray | TEDxNavesink – YouTube

Consequences of Play Deprivation. Stuart L. Brown (2014), Scholarpedia, 9(5):30449.

American Academy of Pediatrics: The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds

“Neuroscientists, developmental biologists, social scientists, and researchers from every point of the scientific compass now know that play is a profound biological process.” -Stuart Brown Play, How it shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and invigorates the Soul What happens when play, a “profound biological process” is interrupted? Unfortunately it is becoming increasingly clear. The consequences … Continue readingPlay Deficit- an alarming trend

The problem

JULY 6, 2017 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

“Play is the highest level of child development . . . The plays of childhood are the germinal leaves of later life.” -Friedrich Froebel

Researchers agree that play is an essential part of a child’s development and that children learn best through play. (Adults learn best through play, too. . . but we’ll keep that research on hold for another post.) Research also shows a clear link between the development of social and emotional skills and play experiences.

Play should be an important part of every early elementary classroom, but isn’t. In my experiences as a teacher it is extremely difficult to incorporate play into a traditional classroom. The days are too full of looming standards, an overwhelming amount of curriculum that must be covered, mandated benchmarks that must be reached, and seemingly endless assessments. These academic mandates often take priority over other classroom experiences– never-ending work leaving no time for play!

It is time to rethink our early elementary classrooms. It is time to be intentional; to acknowledge and incorporate the overwhelming research supporting play based learning.

“Play is the highest level of child development . . . The plays of childhood are the germinal leaves of later life.” -Friedrich Froebel Researchers agree that play is an essential part of a child’s development and that children learn best through play. (Adults learn best through play, too. . . but we’ll keep that … Continue readingThe problem

The Power of Play

MAY 29, 2017 / LEAVE A COMMENT / EDIT

When I first began teaching, I recognized that the academic expectations for my kindergartners were not going to decrease, and in fact they have continued to increase over the years. The key was to find a way to balance the academic rigor with other equally important early classroom experiences. Unfortunately, most teachers do not have the time, resources, or support to make these well intended ideas a reality. As a new teacher, I had a great love for my little students, and a strong motivation to become the best teacher I could, but I am not a superstar! I cannot work 12 hour days creating fun, meaningful, developmentally appropriate, differentiated, standards-based lessons. So I thought (almost obsessively sometimes) about a better way. A way to balance what I was required to do with what I knew was best for my students.

For me, the key to this balance is a system I’m calling Play Based Centers. Developed over several years, it is a teacher friendly, “ChILD Centered” system.

Ch- Choice for the students and for the teacher

I- Intentional and Independent activities

L-Learning through open ended, guided play

D- Developmentally appropriate experiences and activities.

So here are the interesting results. With few exceptions, my kindergarten students have consistently met or surpassed my goals for them. And the surprising, important key to this success is that it is because I have implemented free-choice, play based, open ended centers, every day, for at least 30 minutes. While my students are highly engaged in their chosen center or project, I have the flexibility to truly differentiate. I focus on Individual Student Goals (ISG,) progress monitor, or practice what I call “RTI Tier 1.5.” I am able to consider each student holistically- determining what social, emotional or academic needs they have at a given time, and providing support for them as individuals. I am also able to establish strong connections to each student, even those students with the most challenging behaviors, creating a stronger, more enjoyable learning community. PBC is a balanced system that supports both rigorous academic standards and joyful, play based learning.

So although I am not a writer, I have started this blog to share this system! PBC is extremely flexible, teacher friendly and meets a significant need. I believe this system gives early elementary teachers a unique opportunity to focus on the needs of the whole child.

If problem-solving, communication, collaboration, innovation, and creative thinking are to remain part of our legacy as a species, then play must be restored to its rightful place at the heart of childhood.

-Crisis in the Kindergarten, Why Children Need To Play in School

Alliance for Childhood, 2009

This is the excerpt for your very first post.

Play-Based Centers

Weaving The Strands of Literacy Through Play

Posts

pigs and play

one link between literacy & play

rethinking the cow path

“In play, it is as though the child were trying to jump above the level of his normal behavior.” -L. Vygotsky

March 27, 2020, is International SEL Day!

From selday.org:

Join the Movement!

That which we call a (toy) rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

pigs and play

survival mode vs learning mode

silicon spoons

a daily feast

musings on water and dead bugs

the gift of time

The Ch.E.C.K.-in method

winter clothing hassle or hustle?

childhood ends at kindergarten?

dancing penguins

an assessment game-changer

bleeding potatoes

the emperor’s new curriculum

let them eat (pretend) cake

play is practice

the play instinct

metaplay

Love & Play

streetlights vs screen lights

Play is a Brain Changer

Playful vs Free play

Play Deficit- an alarming trend

The problem

The Power of Play

From selday.org:

Join the Movement!

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