Classroom Discipline: Balancing Play and Learning

1253 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Play is a framework for learning

The Day Play Became a Problem
A fifth-grade classroom in a Coastal Carolina town was tasked with preparing for a science investigation. The room hosted six clusters of six desks, with various supplies sprawled out along the top of the desks including rods, wheels, blocks, and plywood. In addition to the supplies on the desks, students were given packets that featured an experiment guide, guiding question sheet, and paper for construction diagrams. “All right, everyone,” says their teacher. “Before working with the materials on your desk, I want you to fill out the first section of your experiment guide, questions two and three on your guided question sheet, and draw a diagram of what you expect to build with the materials on your desks.” The students began to record questions, but moments later, students from each group began to play with the materials on the table. The teacher gave a warning call, instructing students to return the materials to the center of their table and not to touch them until the paper is complete. Select students had the materials in hand yet again, less than a minute later. This prompted to teacher to make a class announcement that clearly outlined her philosophy regarding the role of play in the classroom. …show more content…

54). This engagement ensures that students are interacting with subject matter and materials in a variety of ways, forming life-long relationships with learning and the strategies one might use to do so (Ackerman, 2011). Play in the classroom includes a surplus of supplies and materials, along with a network of connected student workers who share ideas, becoming independent learners. Once an educator, much like the fifth grade teacher, recognizes the negative connation they associate with a word that is not negative, they can explore the importance and role of play in the

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Counting Chips And Chopsticks

    1782 Words  | 4 Pages

    Leong was featured in the May 2003 issue of the NAEYC’s Young Children. The article explores the conflict between children's play and meeting academic standards; more frequently, teachers are forced to limit playtime in order to teach essential skills to students; however because of limited imaginary play, increased academic demands of young children, and more realistic toys, children are almost unable to imagine. Although play has been proven to benefit children’s cognitive and social development, administrators do not consider it to be an important aspect of young children’s education. Because of this, preschool and kindergarten teachers are put in a challenging predicament; in order to compensate for children’s lack of play, teachers would need to prioritize play development at the level in which they prioritize phonics awareness and fine motor skills development. Although it is difficult to do, it is not impossible to incorporate play into the curriculum. Teachers can facilitate mature play by providing multi purpose props, encouraging children to create their own props, and allowing time for children to plan their roles and scenarios for dramatic play. In addition to play helping children develop foundational skills and concepts necessary to master math and reading, it has been shown to increase classroom cooperation, the effectiveness of instructional time, and the number of friendships developed in the

    Read More

  • Should Middle School Have Recess Essay

    457 Words  | 1 Pages

    "I believe quite strongly that there is great value in play. Play is learning lessons that often can't be learned anyplace else.’’1 An unknown middle schooler. Dr. Barros decided to conduct the study after observing a young patient's classroom--to see how antsy the student and his peers were by lunchtime.”They were given no work breaks, save for 15 minutes of quiet snacking at their desks.they were so drowsy”.

    Read More

  • Child's Theory Of Play

    1219 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many theorists have tried to define play as a concept, however, no two agree on a set definition. Their backgrounds and induvial lifestyles influence the way they see the importance of play. Reed and Brown also believe that there isn’t an agreed definition of play because is something that is felt rather than done (Reed & Brown, 2000 cited in Brock, Dodd’s, Jarvis & Olusoga, 2009). In spite of this, it is clear that most theorists uphold the ethos that play is imperative to a child’s learning and development. There is a wide range of different studies and theories which helps us develop our own perception of what play is. In my personal experience I have found play to be a way of expressive our emotions, exploring and learning new things, thus

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Play In Children's Play

    978 Words  | 2 Pages

    Early childhood teachers often say that “play is a child’s work” while some parents ask ‘Did my child just play all day?’” (Rice 1). Many people do not realise how important play is and what role it plays in the development of their children. Teachers provide opportunities for children to have spontaneous, unstructured child-initiated play experiences by providing stimulating materials to “enhance and entice children into play” (Rice 2). These materials include loose parts and are open-ended and spark creativity by providing children opportunities to think, plan, and carry out their play (Rice 2). Limited learning may take place if teachers do not make play easier and maximize the benefits (Rice 2). Teacher support is also a necessary component

    Read More

  • Preschool Classroom Observation

    1262 Words  | 3 Pages

    The library had a poster of the alphabet and numbers, a large amount of books and puzzles. Located behind the library was a shelf with musical instruments and movement accessories such as scarves. Along with a library being used as a quiet area, there was a couch placed near the art center out of the way from all centers for children to sit on. Most of the time that I observed was during free play, centers and circle time. When they start their circle time, they begin with saying their five classroom rules. The rule...

    Read More

  • An Essay On The Importance Of Play On Child Learning

    841 Words  | 2 Pages

    An Article by Dr. Leong and Dr. Bodrova (2016) stated that play is beneficial to children’s learning especially when it reaches a certain degree of complexity. When they engage in play activities most of their early years, they learn to delay gratification and to prioritize their goals and actions. They also learn to consider the perspectives and needs of other people and to represent things significantly to regulate their behavior and actions in a cautious, intentional way.

    Read More

  • Pretend Play in Childhood

    1883 Words  | 4 Pages

    Imagination is the ability to draw a picture, a story or an idea in the mind. It is the ability to feel and believe of something that is not real, this term is widespread through the literature. When children use their imagination they could be anything they want and they could travel through time and space. There are different ways children’s can use to develop and express their imagination. For example, drawing, reading stories and role playing by pretending to be someone or something else, these ways allow children to express their imagination through thinking, creating and involving emotions. Imagination gives the children the opportunity to explore the world around them. Play has an important effect on children’s imaginative development, it is a common activity between children but it is not just a free time that child enjoy. For instance, imaginative play or role play encourages the children imaginative skills and this includes fantasy, pretend and symbolic play. Imaginative play also known as fantasy, symbolic, pretend and role play. This paper will focus on the imagination process and the theory of mind, children understanding of others mind and mental representations. Pretend play will be an example of showing how children use their imagination through this type of play.

    Read More

  • Philosophy of Classroom Discipline

    749 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Power is exercised only over free subjects, and only insofar as they are free. By this we mean individual or collective subjects who are faced with a field of possibilities in which several ways of behaving, several reactions and diverse compartments may be realized.” (Foucault)

    Read More

  • Child Learning Through Play

    1857 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...ctive. Play is an essential learning tool and one that must not be ignored within the classroom. It is a catalyst to help children develop socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively. It is not only an important part of a child’s development as a pupil but also a child’s development as an individual.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Scaffolding in Children’s Play

    2081 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...ng in the educational context requires teachers as the competent adults or instructors, it demonstrates the importance of teacher presence in all areas of the curriculum especially in play. Whether through Piaget’s cognitive constructivism or Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development, it is important for teachers to actively participate and interact with the children to foster their cognitive and social development. To scaffold children’s play, the teacher is important in roles such as creating the right play environment by preparing adequate materials, designing the playing space and ensuring adequate play materials, designing appropriate play experiences to structure and facilitate the children’s development and facilitating interactions among the children and between themselves and the children to facilitate and support meaning making (Module 2 & Module 3, 2012).

    Read More

  • Childhood Play Essay

    877 Words  | 2 Pages

    However, despite the unquestionable link to a brighter future for the children who engage in it, less and less time is being allotted for play in the classrooms. As standards for what children are expected to know at younger and younger ages continues to rise along with the demand for standardized testing from the state, time for play is being sacrificed. Adults are choosing to get rid of time for unstructured play and recess to make time for this new testing interfering with the time allotted for children to learn independently through play. Cutting play and recess is a mistake, and here is why: “recess gives students time for social interactions: for students must be able to initiate, negotiate, cooperate, share, and build relationships with one another--skills that are highly valued in the adult world but that often are quite different from work or play under adult supervision and control” (Chang). Those skills learned through play, are often not the sole purpose of a classroom lesson and could potentially be the only place they learn those needed skills. Play is an affective measurement in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom and children can learn so much from it if only given the chance

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Curriculum Reform

    810 Words  | 2 Pages

    Next, students should be assigned to their groups by an arbitrary method, such as alphabetically or by tables. The science lab should be given preference for this experimental group to use whenever they need it. The room should be conducive for group work, and all groups should be accessible to the teacher. Plus, all resources and materials should be gathered and made available to the

    Read More

  • Play Influence on Child Development

    544 Words  | 2 Pages

    Isenberg, J. P., & Jalongo, M. R. (n.d.). Why is play important? Social and emotional development, physical development, creative development. In Creative thinking and arts-based learning preschool through fourth grade (2006 ed., pp. 53-55). Retrieved from http://www.education.com/ reference/article/importance-play--social-emotional/

    Read More

  • The Reflection Of Play And Play Based Learning

    723 Words  | 2 Pages

    Before diving into my research, I reflected on the knowledge I already knew regarding play and play based learning. From experience, I know that play is an enjoyable activity for children, and even some adults. I know that there are different ways one can play. For example, playing with others is known as cooperative play and playing alone is considered solitary play. There are different types of play. For example, there is dress up or pretend games, which is considered dramatic, play and there is playing with building blocks which is constructive play. After my reflection I realized that I was more knowledgeable on the action of playing rather then the benefits of it.

    Read More

  • Play Importance Of Play

    1154 Words  | 3 Pages

    A very wise man; Charles Schaefer, once said “We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything than when we are playing.” To begin with, there is no one explanation about what play really is, other than the fact that it holds infinite numbers of definitions according to every single individual. Play is just not a physical body movement involved in an activity, but more than that if you look outside of the box. For centuries, play has been practiced in its own unique way with not only children, but adults as well.

    Read More

More about Classroom Discipline: Balancing Play and Learning

Open Document