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RUNNING HEAD: PLAY POSITION STATEMENT

Amanda B. Garber

Pennsylvania State Berks University

Play Position Statement

ECE 479

12 December 2015

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Today’s learners require a sufficient amount of play to be incorporated within the

everyday curriculum. Play, otherwise known as the work of young children, builds

confidence, expands creativity, and introduces children to adult roles (Adamson-Kain,

2014, pg. 3). As a result, students are more susceptible to being responsible, confident,

and will possess a high level of creativity because of their encounters with play as a child.

Through activities, such as solitary and dramatic play, learners experiment with problem

solving, fine and gross motor skills, and social skills, ultimately informing educators of

all the benefits play has to offer for young children (Toddlers: Learning by Playing, 2015,

pg. 1). As a pre-service teacher, I had the opportunity to observe children at play various

times. From such experiences, I learned the importance of being observant of adolescents

at play. Drawing conclusions from a student’s actions while playing enables the teacher

to gain a better understanding of the individual. More specifically, one may deduce a

child’s personal interests, friends, and creativity. Uncovering the learner’s history, such

as the contents listed above, allows the teacher to utilize such information within lesson

plans. In response, each child will be more susceptible to retaining and comprehending

the essential information in all subject areas. Unfortunately, there has been some debate

regarding whether or not play is beneficial to children’s growth. Parents continue to

question the frequency of play that is implemented within schools and feel children are

not learning. As a future educator, it is my duty to implement and introduce others to the

aspects of play I have learned during this course. Throughout this course, I learned that

students’ avid imaginations require play while learning, and if implemented properly,

provides a stable learning environment for each individual.

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Observing children’s play portrays students’ thoughts and actions in a natural

setting, and therefore is a vital method for educators to implement. While observing

students on the playground at Glenside Elementary, I was able to see various forms of

play. I watched Kindergarten students play for two days. Each day, I saw them play for

twenty minutes. On October twentieth, I mostly observed functional, group play.

Functional play occurs when a child, or group of children continuously repeat an

enjoyable action. For example, students were repeatedly traveling down slides

independently and collectively. I also observed a child skipping and singing

independently. Surprisingly, I saw this same child doing this both days. The students I

observed in solitary, functional play were always girls. They seemed content with

singing or wandering around aimlessly. I learned that girls are typically more reserved

than boys. This could validate why I saw girls playing alone. I also saw constructive play,

or activities where children manipulate an area to create things, eleven times. This mostly

consisted of group play. For example, I saw adolescents physically turning the squares

while playing tic-tack-toe. Learners also built buildings out of pieces of chalk while

working in groups. I rarely observed dramatic play.

Dramatic play, otherwise known as children accepting and assigning rules to act

out, brings out one’s creativity. I feel it is important for children to experiment with

different character roles and express creativity starting at a young age. Vygotsky and

Elkonin provide valid points regarding make-believe play: “In fact, its earliest

prerequisites develop in infancy, as babies learn to imitate other people’s actions and

begin to communicate by using gestures and vocalizations” (Leong & Bodrova, 2012, pg.

28). I learned that young children, especially infants, are able to take part in meaningful

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learning while playing. Simply smiling and making eye contact with another person at a

young age not only introduces one to a single form of communication, but also teaches

him or her the importance of communication.

As infants experiment with smiling and making eye contact, they begin to

uncover how one talks to his or her peers. This is because babies are unable to speak and

must express themselves through signs and sounds, such as those discussed above. Over

the years, children develop more concise forms of dialogue. Many experiment with

private speech and learn linguistic rules, such as syntax. For example, a child may say, “I

goed there before” rather than saying “I went there before” (Genishi, 2015, pg. 1). By

experimenting with the various rules pertaining to the English language, I feel children

are able to learn from their mistakes, become comfortable talking to others, and express

their imaginations. I witnessed scenarios of students conversing with one another, using

their imaginations, and learning from their mistakes at Glenside Elementary. The

adolescents were five years old, and as a result, expressed their feelings and imaginations

verbally. While analyzing Kindergarten at recess, a group of students was pretending to

play “Fire Station” and climbed up a yellow ladder, ultimately enabling them to enter the

station. Similarly, I observed students participating collectively in games with rules.

Games with rules are games that have a specific set of rules for players to follow. I was

surprised to see the kids problem-solving and cooperating with one another. They were

able to create and follow all of the rules. The majority of students playing games with

rules were boys. However, I did see a few girls playing these games with the boys.

Overall, gender appears to play a factor in games with rules. Kindergarten seemed to

enjoy group and parallel play the most. My data could be skewed a little in this direction

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on account of the setting, day, time, and ages of children. If I observed play at another

setting, I may have seen more children playing independently.

Play serves as an exceptional learning tool for young children. Unfortunately,

some members of society fail to recognize all of the benefits play has to offer. A

superintendent questioned a kindergarten teacher’s knowledge of children singing in

school: “Likewise, another teacher detailed how she “had the kids on the floor in a circle

and they were singing “Farmer in the Dell.” The superintendent walked by and said,

“You are going to stop singing and start teaching, right”(Lynch, 2015, pg. 357). Lynch

provides a prime example of one who questions the benefits of play. Considering the

students were singing, it may appear as though children are not learning. Lessons that

intertwine singing and playing, such as the one mentioned above, encourage children to

think creatively and help children develop oral language skills as they experiment with

initial and final word sounds. I feel students require play to be incorporated within the

everyday curriculum. When opportunities for play arise, students’ avid imaginations are

used and create opportunities for meaningful learning. However, teachers must act as

facilitators in order for such learning to occur. Vivian Paley’s novel “A Child’s Work:

The Importance of Fantasy Play” provides a prime example of this. Mrs. Ruparel-Sen

encourages Vijay, one of her students, to act out his story at the story-telling table. After

she asks him what role he will carry out, he decides to be the plane even though it

crashed into the Westin tall building. As a result of his story and the teacher’s

questioning, Kostos, another student, was able to connect with Viajay and continue his

fable. This is because he is from Greece and has relatives fly to America and stay in

hotels (Paley, 2004, pg. 5-6). Acting as a facilitator for students’ play is rather simple. By

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questioning learners about their stories, teachers are able to pique learners’ interests,

ultimately allowing them to join in. When teachers act as facilitators, students engage

with one another and may uncover cultural similarities and differences, as did Vijay and

Kostos. Therefore, I will remember to foster student’s learning while they are playing and

help classmates make connections with one another. Paley provides readers with other

methods regarding how to become a successful teacher for young children.

Paley’s stories and research allow readers to gain many benefits from reading. For

example, she refers to a sixth grade class that recently learned about Darwin and the idea

of “survival of the fittest.” The “popular” students began to make all of the decisions at

the playground and bullied others. In order to eliminate and address such actions, the

teacher assigned each student a lawyer role and a client who was discriminated against

while playing (Paley, 2004, pg. 93). As a result of Paley’s research, I learned that

teachers must observe and address student behaviors. To further refine their

understanding of children’s actions, teachers must act like a child. Embracing childhood

memories often helps educators and adults understand how children are feeling. Paley

tells her students about a boy who liked to impersonate a scorpion and an iceman. He

placed the teacher in an icebox, and as a result, she was frozen (Paley, 2004, pg. 38).

Students incorporated Paley’s play into their own, showing readers that teachers are an

inspiration to learners. She also refers to a specific instance where she observes children

having the roles of teachers and students while on the playground. The teacher shouts at

the students to do their homework, ultimately depicting how today’s students perceive

educators as the enemy (Paley, 2004, pg.38-39). By informing children of their own

experiences, teachers, such as Paley, can encourage students to convey their own feelings

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within the classroom. In order to create expressive leaners, educators must provide a

balance of academics and play in schools. Furthermore, I learned that students must be

provided with opportunities to develop their oral language skills. Teachers must expose

students to new vocabulary words in a natural setting: “When children hear words in real-

life, authentic contexts, they are able to acquire language naturally and build vocabulary

in meaningful and purposeful ways” (Luongo-Orlando, 2010, pg. 40). Luongo-Orlando

emphasizes the importance of exposing children to new vocabulary words in a natural

setting. It promotes discoveries of the context, the part of speech, and the pronunciation

of unfamiliar words for youngsters. Therefore, I will use unfamiliar words when speaking

to my students and have them experiment with the words. In order to pique their interests,

I will create an ABC word wall and place images next to the appropriate word.

Being able to recognize everyday vocabulary words is an important skill for

young children. I learned that incorporating play-based lesson plans within the everyday

curriculum helps develop students’ vocabularies. Such lessons can be structured or freely

structured depending on the educator. As a future educator, I will provide my students

with a balance of structured and unstructured lesson plans. In doing so, I feel my students

will be able to reenact personal experiences, such as a visit to the doctor’s office, and as a

result, will be more susceptible to understanding the different character roles one plays

within society. Overall, I was able to see students acting out professions and emotions

that enhanced my understanding of their character roles while playing. Similarly, many

parents witness their kids pretending to be a specific character or individual from their

favorite television shows or professions. However, parents fail to recognize the benefits

children gain from such interactions and therefore question the benefits of play.

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Parents and guardians are questioning the frequency and benefits of play within

the curriculum. Many feel their children are simply playing with little purpose or

guidance, and as a result, believe such play offers little learning experiences for

youngsters. Keeping this in mind, I learned that as a future teacher, I must inform parents

of such benefits. For example, I could offer a play workshop where students and their

parents come in. The students would be given a variety of toys, or props, to use at their

convenience. They will be instructed to play however they desire. Otherwise known as

free play, parents will be able to see their children experiment with oral language, refer to

concepts of print, socialize with peers, and have fun in a natural setting. I will point out

the different events that occur depicting such concepts, and as a result, parents will begin

to realize that play can be used as a medium for learning. I will listen to and accept

parents’ views regarding play and introduce them to my views on play. As an educator, I

feel play enables many to gain self-control and self-regulation, develop social skills, and

learn the importance of implementing and following rules. When learners are exposed to

concepts and knowledge with the help of play, they are able to develop essential skills

and become life-long learners who foster relationships with the rest of society.

Play serves as an exceptional learning tool for children. While actively engaged in

meaningful play, adolescents are able to develop social skills and oral language skills. I

feel such skills are essential for one to obtain at a young age on account of one must be

able to communicate with others on a daily basis More specifically, individuals ask others

questions, ultimately refining one’s oral language skills. Furthermore, children learn how

to read and write based on their various social encounters with others. Therefore,

interacting with others at play immensely impacts children’s lives. Despite play providing

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children plenty of opportunities to obtain oral language skills, I feel it can be used as a

medium for learning. Teachers can incorporate play-based lessons into the curriculum. In

response, students can express their imaginations and are exposed to different viewpoints.

I learned the importance of fostering student growth. I must provide children with plenty

of opportunities to play on their own. In doing so, students will be able to experiment

with various concepts of language, such as syntax, and will be more equipped when

talking to others in the future. Incorporating play within the everyday curriculum can be

quite challenging for all teachers on account of parents, the school board, and demands of

the state. Teachers must find ways to continue implementing engaging and meaningful

activities within the classroom in order to help all students flourish.

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References

Adamson-Kain, S. (2014). Memo to Preschool Teachers Everywhere: Children Need and

Have a Right to Play. National Association for the Education of Young Children.

1-7.

Genishi, C. (2015). Young Children's Oral Language Development. ERIC Digest. ERIC

Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education.

Leong, D.J. & Bodrova, , E. (2012). “Assessing and Scaffolding Make-Believe Play.”

National Association for The Education of Young Children.

Luongo-Orlando, K. (2010). “The Cornerstones to Early Literacy: Childhood

Experiences That Promote Learning in Reading, Writing, and Oral Language.” (J.

McNulty, & P. McNulty, Eds.) Ontario, Canada: Pembroke Publishers.

Lynch, M. (2015). More Play Please: The Perspective of Kindergarten Teachers on Play

in the Classroom. American Journal of Play. 7(3), 347-370.

Paley, V. (2004). “A Child’s Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play.” The University of

Chicago.

(2015). “Toddlers: Learning by Playing.” Kids Health. Retrieved from

http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/toddler_play.html

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Appendix

Date: 10/20/15

Functional:

Sliding down slides (solitary and group)- Students went down the slide in groups

with one student behind another. I typically observed girls traveling down the

slides with girls and boys traveling down the slides with boys. Although, there

were a few occasions where I witnessed a boy and a girl riding down the slide

together. Students also went down the slides independently without their peers.

Skipping and Singing (solitary)-Student was wandering around the playground

repeatedly skipping and singing alone

Constructive:

Chalk drawing (solitary) –kids drew images of butterflies, stores, and houses

independently without interacting with others. Both boys and girls participated in

this activity.

Tic-tack-toe (group)-children had to physically turn square in order to portray an

“x” or an “O,” depending on their designated letter. Two children played this

game against one another and sometimes they would play it as two against two.

Dramatic:

House (group)-Five students played “House” together behind the playground’s

rock wall. All of the children playing were girls. One student was the mom, who

appeared to be in charge of the others during free play. She directed and guided

others by telling them how to act and where to go while playing. Considering I

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primarily focused on the student playing the role as the mom, I was not sure what

roles the other characters were playing.

Ninja Turtles (group)- I only observed a group of five boys playing this activity.

Two students each wanted to play the role of Donatello, and as a result, both

students played this role simultaneously.

Games with Rules:

Tag (group)- Children gathered together, approximately a group of five to seven

students, in order to play tag. I observed two different games of “Tag” being

played on the playground. One group consisted of all girls and the other consisted

of all boys.

Ninja Turtles (group)- Same activity as mentioned above underneath the dramatic

section. However, one student guided the other students and made them follow

him around. I heard him say “No Michael Angelo! That building is too crowded

for us to enter!”

House (group)-Same description as “House” listed above. However, the mother in

the game was in charge and the other characters had to do what she insisted they

do, ultimately creating rules for others to follow.

Follow the Leader (group)-One student was the designated “leader” who

performed actions for other kids to follow. The other kids could only act or

perform tasks that the leader expressed.

Basketball (social and parallel)- Two boys were shooting at the same basketball

net, but using different basketballs and not interacting with one another.

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Date: 10/22/15

Functional:

Students were sliding down slides (solitary and parallel)

Rockwall climbing and student acting as a dinosaur at the top (solitary and

parallel)

Students climbed up and down yellow playground bars (Solitary)

Student writing letters in mulch with her fingers (Solitary)

Constructive:

Students use pieces of chalk to create buildings. Rather than drawing the

buildings, the pieces of chalk were laid out to represent building boundaries.

At math center, students used linking cubes to measure the height of the

monster and colored in cubes on their papers.

Dramatic:

Played Fire Station-Students pretended the ladder on the playground was a

fire station ladder. Therefore, when they climbed to the top, they were in the

fire station.

Games With Rules:

Tag (solitary)- Observed multiple groups of students playing tag. Each group

consisted of about five students.

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Images:

Constructive Play (solitary/parallel) Functional Play (solitary/parallel)

Constructive Play (Solitary/parallel) Dramatic Play (Group) and

Functional Play (Solitary)

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