Thread: Play Advocacy

I'm sorry but this sounds more like a homework assignment than a research project.

Here are some sites you may want to visit:

Child's Play? by Selene Syvenky
[url]http://www.babybag.com/articles/chldplay.htm[/url]

Academic Studies and Play on a Collision Course ... and Play is Losing
[url]http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content5/studies.play.html[/url]

The Importance of Play
[url]http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/play.html[/url]

As teachers do you believe play is important in classrooms?

Yes. Play is the universal process of learning, in and out of the classroom, for many species.

If so, how do you advocate for play in your classroom?

I don't. I call it things like: "Building prior knowledge," "using multiple intelligences," and "applying new skills."

Right now we are facing a new field trip policy that will abolish our liberal use of the state park down the road; we go there to hike, rock climb, and do water science. Never mind that we include math, reading, and writing in pre-and post-trip activities; our school board plans to raise test scores by making sure instruction happens in classrooms, and doing away with "extras."


Specifically, how do you use play in the classroom, and how do you explain the use of play to parents?

I don't explain the use of play to parents; I've never had to. The explanations have to go to the admins. See above. These days, teaching 6th - 8th graders, I do simulations, board games, and role plays to "play" with content. When I was teaching primary kids, "play" often involved projects or investigations that required them to go places, build things, etc.. I have photos of 2nd graders measuring distances and creating maps of the school, designing "treasure hunts," etc.., for example. Play, when set up to do so, includes the use of reading, writing, math, etc..

Thank you so much for your response! I am hoping to develop this research project into a conference I can use later in my career.