WEEK 4: Start Chapter 5, pages 34-48

Last week in Chapter 4, we reflected on children who had difficulty playing well with other children, as well as factors that contribute to play difficulties.  Some of those factors include culture, gender, temperament, lack of experience, exposure to trauma and special needs. 

It is critical that teachers and caregivers realize the importance of helping children be successful during play and developing social skills, including joining a group to play, pretending, taking turns, and interacting with other children appropriately. 

We would like to share a summary from the 2010 WI ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences Study) about the importance of positive early childhood experiences:

 In recent years, we have learned a great deal about the importance of childhood

experiences to lifelong well-being. Early experiences have a broader and more

profound impact than most of us would ever guess. Everyday interactions

and experiences in infancy and childhood greatly influence the architecture

of our developing brains and our subsequent emotional, cognitive, social and

neurobiological functioning. In short, these early experiences affect the way we view

ourselves and our world, the way we learn, how we cope with life’s stressors, and

how we form relationships throughout our lives. Positive experiences in childhood

often lead to healthy and productive adulthood. Unfortunately, negative experiences

can lead to poorer mental and physical health, poorer school and work success and

lower socioeconomic status in adulthood. 

 (Retrieved from http://wichildrenstrustfund.org/files/WisconsinACEs.pdf).

This week, you will be using the Play Checklist to help identify where a child may be having difficulty in play as well as a road map for providing strategies to support young children’s play development.   You can find a copy of the checklist on the last page of your book.  You can also download a copy by clicking on the “Play Checklist” tab on the blog.

Enjoy your observations!  We are looking forward to hearing from you about how your children play.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge”.  –Albert Einstein

WEEK 3:   Chapter 4 - Understanding Play Difficulties
(sorry about the double post last week - Cindy and I had a little mis-communication)

This week we will be reading Chapter 4. As you read you will be reflecting on a child. Think about what you learned about the child or perhaps learned about yourself and your perception of why a child might be challenged in play. Does anything surprise you?

The chapter talks about some specific influences that may be affecting a child’s play. There is another book I wanted to point out which deals more on addressing challenges in children engaging in play. We are considering doing another book group next spring on When Play Isn’t Fun so you may want to watch for that.

Play is essential for children’s development and as they learn life skills. But some children face challenges when playing with others, and conflicts can erupt over sharing toys, taking turns, and feeling left out. Despite those moments, children want to play together. With your support and guidance, children can learn how to engage in productive play, resolve struggles, and enjoy group play.

This workbook outlines strategies to create an engaging play environment, provides information to help you understand skill development, and suggests ways you can encourage children’s growth through rich play. It also explains common challenges children might have during group play—like being unengaged in dramatic play, having conflicts with each other, or playing aggressively—and approaches you can use to address them. Use this interactive workbook to thoughtfully respond to play challenges in a way that can open up opportunities for children.

Welcome to Week 2 of  When Play Isn’t Easy book group!  It looks as if everyone made it through the first week with only a few glitches.  Some of you mentioned that technology is not second nature to you—we are especially proud of you for making it through the week.  Know that it will get easier each time you comment. 

“Play helps us provide motivating and engaging activities that give children a developmental boost in all areas.  Play gives children opportunities to meet these standards”.  (Heidemann, S. & Hewitt, D., 2014). 

Thank you all for your thoughtful posts and responses.  It was obvious that you took the opportunity to reflect on your own views of play as well as how play is connected with the Wisconsin Early Learning Standards. 

WEEK 2:  This week we will be reading Chapter 2, which focuses on being able to share the value of play with families, funders, colleagues and directors/principals.  Please use this week as an opportunity to consider how you, as an advocate for how young children learn, would respond to questions about the value of play.  If you are taking this for graduate credit, developing a brief speech/discussion/powerpoint, etc. about the value of play is one of the options available to you for your final project.

There are several articles that you may find useful in addition to your reading and reflections this week.  These articles can be found in the Play livebinder:  http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1717363#anchor

 Alliance for Childhood (2009.) Crisis in the kindergarten:  Why children need to play in school.   Retrieved from http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/kindergarten_report.pdf.

 Bartlett, T. (2011).  The case for play:  How a handful of researchers are trying to save childhood.  Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/The-Case-for-Play/126382.  

Enjoy the reading, reflections and conversations this week!

Cindy and Beth

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation”.  --Plato

WEEK TWO:  SHARING THE VALUE OF PLAY.  This week we will be reading CHAPTER 2, which focuses on being able to share the value of play with families, funders, colleagues, and directors/principals.  Please use this week as an opportunity to consider how you, as an advocate for how young children learn, would respond to questions about the value of play.  If you are taking this course for graduate credit, developing a brief speech/discussion/powerpoint about the value of play is one of the options available to you for your final project.

There are several articles that you may find useful in addition to your reading and reflections this week.  These articles can be found in the Play Livebinder: http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1717363

Alliance for Childhood (2009).  Crisis in the kindergarten:  Why children need to play in school. http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/kindergarten_report.pdf

Bartlett, T.  (2011).  The case for play:  How a handful of researchers are trying to save childhood.  http://chronicle.com/article/The-Case-for-Play/126382

There are a few other resources that might be of interest, particularly when explaining the importance of play to others:
Policies and practice:  Sharing the power of play with parents.   http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/policies-practices-sharing-power-play-parents

The value of play:  A fact sheet for families.  http://ncac.acecqa.gov.au/family-resources/factsheets/play.pdf

The power of play in the early learning environment.  http://www.teachpreschool.org/2012/07/the-power-of-play-in-the-learning-environment/

NAEYC articles on play:  http://www.naeyc.org/play

Enjoy this week's discussions.

Expectations for getting a certificate: (these are a repeat of what was sent in the email today - I just wanted it on the blog as well for ease of referring back to it.) 

Welcome to the  When Play Isn’t Easy book group. A few things to point out about this blog. Across the top of the blog you will see tabs. We will be adding resources we find or are suggested by participants in the Resources tab. You can find who is involved in this book group in the Class Roster tab. Cindy has a Play board on Pinterest  which you can find in its tab and finally IF you are taking this for credit a copy of Cindy’s email going over the expectations is in the Graduate Credit Information tab where you can also find a link to the forms you need to fill out. (IF you did not show an interest initially but are still interested in credit please take a look at that tab on the blog to know what to do.)  We will be adding an evaluation tab towards the end of the book group. Along the right side of this blog you will see the tips for using the blog including how to comment, a link to a Live Binder on Play which has umpteen quality resources and Cindy and my contact information. Finally on the bottom of the blog is where IF you would like to get weekly emails of the posts Cindy and I make you can sign up.

Since you committed yourself to this book group and we need to be accountable for providing this as professional learning there are a few expectations (for those of you not taking it for credit.) This book has many guiding questions within each chapter which you can comment on. Cindy and I might make suggestions each week of additional possible reflections in weekly posts. Feel free to deviate from the reflective questions (this is your book feel free to write in it)  to share your “ah has,” “I wonders…” and/ or questions. These are the expectations in order to receive a certificate at the end of the 8 weeks (remember these are the expectations for those who are not taking it for credit):

• Comment at least two times over the course of the 8 weeks (if you want to contribute more please do)This can be a comment to a reflective question in the book or comment on another participants thoughts.
• Provide one resource that you use or found over these 8 weeks. The Live Binder is full of resources if you would just like to research one of them and comment on its usefulness. It could be a resource to use with parents to promote play, a children’s book that reinforces something from the book….
• Be prepared at the end of the eight weeks to describe how the information/conversations have impacted a change in your professional practice AND what you see happening differently with students (including some specific examples.)

You will receive a certificate at the end of the 8 weeks once the above information is received. (15 hours of learning will be noted on the certificate)

WEEK ONE: This week we are reading the Introduction andChapter 1. Please do take the Self Assessment in the Introduction and reflect on it in your book – it may help with your final analysis of how this book group impacted your professional practice. In Chapter 1 you will be connecting play to standards. If you do not have and or use the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards here is a link to look them over: http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/wmels-about.php  If any of you have center signs which describe for adults the importance of play in each center and are willing to share those it would be a great resource for others in this book group (as described on the top of page 13.)

We are excited about the learning that will happen when this book is read and reflected upon. Because of the nature of this professional learning (via a blog) you are responsible for your own learning,  you will get out of it what you put into it. We hope that the flexibility of this type of professional development gives you an opportunity to stretch yourself with independent learning.  We look forward to go on this journey with you!