08/14/2023
Play… true play!
So I'd like to share something that I've experienced quite often... I'm wondering if this sounds familiar to you too...
Working in the education field, a big part of my job has been visiting teachers in their classrooms to get a sense of simply "what's going on," while offering support, if needed. And there is one very common experience I have with majority of the programs I visit.
Here's a look at my experience in one of many schools:
- Walking into the infant room, teacher shares:
"We're learning about colors, shapes, numbers, and letters."
- Walking into the toddler room, teacher shares:
"Were learning about colors, shapes, numbers, and letters."
- Walking into the pre-k room, teacher shares:
"We're learning about colors, shapes, numbers, and letters."
So, this is concerning. While it may seem attractive to hear, I'm often left very underwhelmed that the focal point of a child's daily experience is memorizing symbols.
An equal concern is, how is it developmentally appropriate to have the same goals in an infant room as a pre-k room (any every age/room) in between?
Why are we emphasizing the same topic year after year? We're doing something radically wrong here if the first 5 years of life is focused on memorizing these symbols.
Now, don't get me wrong, colors, shapes, numbers, and letters are clearly important. But they should never be the "end goal." These symbols should be naturally discussed in every day experiences, as they are indeed, everywhere! And guess what, children learn WAY better when its meaningful to them. Actually, everyone learns better when it's meaningful to them...
I often recall my experience of being in the classroom, and on any given day, any toddler was able to tell me who the random polka dot sock I found behind the shelving unit belonged to. They knew that sock was Kim's sock. Because the sock that belongs to their friend is important to them. Therefore, they've internalized the colors, shapes, etc. on that sock, and connected it to their friend. They show me they have the ability to identify and label a symbol, and do so when it is something meaningful.
Children see these symbols and make connections to these symbols EVERYDAY. We can foster their experiences through everyday observations and conversations, in a natural and fun way. Or we can make it pressure inducing with passive charts, tedious flashcards, and "on the spot quizzing (e.g. what color is this? what shape is this?)."
Now, I hate to say it, but rarely are teachers mentioning play and social emotional development, first. Sometimes they don't mention it at all. But, THIS IS HOW CHILDREN LEARN! Children absolutely, undeniably, and without question need significant time daily to engage in unstructured free play. This is where children:
- Embrace creative thinking, scientific thinking, and reasoning
- Utilize their imagination
- Engage in problem solving and conflict resolution
- Will stimulate various aspects of cognitive development
- Internalize sensory stimulation, symbols, and how they connect to one another, how they differ from one another, etc.
- Recall, process, and expand upon experienced events
- Improve pride, self esteem, and autonomy
- Learn how to better self regulate and be self reliant
- Enhance fine and gross motor skills
- If playing among other children, they learn how to communicate affectively with one another, problem solve, collaborate, share, disagree, assign roles, compromise, etc.
- We need to stop focusing on the "answers."
- We need to stop valuing memorizing over learning.
- We need to stop micromanaging children's experiences.
- We need to see how children NEED play. It should not be frowned upon, or treated as a reward, or in some cases, taken away.
If you don't want to take my word for it, listen to the genius:
"Play is the highest form of research." - Albert Einstein
