Child-initiated Play and Learning

Child-initiated Play and Learning PDF Author: Annie Woods
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0415634644
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
Planning is central to the role of any early years practitioner and involves careful consideration of resources and the learning environment, learning outcomes, observation and assessment and the unique abilities of individual children. This is a big ask and in a busy setting it can be a challenge to adopt a flexible, creative approach to planning that embraces the unexpected rather than relying on templates or existing schemes of work. This book takes a fresh look at planning to consider the possibilities that should be encouraged when playing alongside young children. It shows how a creative approach that allows for spontaneous adventures in play through child-led projects leads to rich learning experiences that build on children's own interests. Drawing on practice from Reggio Emilia, New Zealand, Scandinavia and settings in the UK, the book covers all aspects of planning including: using observations of children to enable them to lead projects; organisation of indoor and outdoor learning environments; inclusive practice; learning through risk taking and adventure play; working with parents and carers; encouraging the team to consider different ways of working. Including encounters from authentic settings and provocative questions for reflective practice, this timely new text aims to give students and practitioners the confidence to adopt a flexible approach to planning that will better meet the needs of the children in their care. The authors are experienced lecturers, practitioners, mentors and assessors. Working with students, visiting placements, training teachers and early years professionals, they provide a sense of real purpose in their writing and enjoyment in the themes made explicit throughout this book.

Child-initiated Play and Learning

Child-initiated Play and Learning PDF Author: Annie Woods
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0415634644
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
Planning is central to the role of any early years practitioner and involves careful consideration of resources and the learning environment, learning outcomes, observation and assessment and the unique abilities of individual children. This is a big ask and in a busy setting it can be a challenge to adopt a flexible, creative approach to planning that embraces the unexpected rather than relying on templates or existing schemes of work. This book takes a fresh look at planning to consider the possibilities that should be encouraged when playing alongside young children. It shows how a creative approach that allows for spontaneous adventures in play through child-led projects leads to rich learning experiences that build on children's own interests. Drawing on practice from Reggio Emilia, New Zealand, Scandinavia and settings in the UK, the book covers all aspects of planning including: using observations of children to enable them to lead projects; organisation of indoor and outdoor learning environments; inclusive practice; learning through risk taking and adventure play; working with parents and carers; encouraging the team to consider different ways of working. Including encounters from authentic settings and provocative questions for reflective practice, this timely new text aims to give students and practitioners the confidence to adopt a flexible approach to planning that will better meet the needs of the children in their care. The authors are experienced lecturers, practitioners, mentors and assessors. Working with students, visiting placements, training teachers and early years professionals, they provide a sense of real purpose in their writing and enjoyment in the themes made explicit throughout this book.

Let Them Play

Let Them Play PDF Author: Denita Dinger
Publisher: Redleaf Press
ISBN: 1605541982
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 239

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Book Description
Playtime is focused, purposeful, and full of learning. As they play, children master motor development, learn language and social skills, think creatively, and make cognitive leaps. This (un)curriculum is all about fostering children's play, trusting children as capable and engaged learners, and leaving behind boxed curriculums and prescribed activities. Filled with information on the guiding principles that make up an (un)curriculum, learning experience ideas, and suggestions for building strong emotional and engaging physical environments, Let Them Play provides support to those who believe in the learning power of play. Jeff A. Johnson spent twenty-five years as a child care provider in center- and home-based programs. He now works full time as an author, keynote speaker, podcaster, toymaker, and early learning advocate. He is the author or coauthor of six other Redleaf Press books. Denita Dinger has been a child care provider for more than fifteen years and operates a family child care program. For the last five years, she has been a frequent keynote speaker at early childhood conferences, focusing on the topics of hands-on learning and learning through play.

Planning in the Moment with Young Children

Planning in the Moment with Young Children PDF Author: Anna Ephgrave
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351625225
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 299

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Book Description
Young children live in the here and now. If adults are to make a real difference to their learning they need to seize the moments when children first show curiosity, and support their next steps immediately. This book embraces the concept of planning "in the moment" and emphasises the critical role of the adult in promoting child-led learning, giving early years practitioners the confidence and insight to work and plan in the moment, and enabling the children in their care to live, learn, play and develop in the here and now. Planning in the Moment with Young Children maintains a strong link to practice, providing numerous examples of how practitioners can integrate spontaneous planning and rich adult–child interactions into their everyday practice and early years curricula. From timetabling to setting clear rules, creating enabling environments, keeping records and making use of a variety of materials, the book demonstrates the multitude of ways in which practitioners can encourage child autonomy and respond to the unique needs of each child. Examples from practice are rooted in theory, fully contextualised, and exemplified by original documentation sourced from the author’s own experiences and from a wide variety of settings. Key features include: over 180 full colour photographs to illustrate practice; photocopiable pages including planning sheets, documentation and activity sheets; advice on working with parents, individual children and groups; tailored guidance on working with children at different stages of development from birth to age 6 years; relevance to a range of settings, including childminders, pre-schools, nurseries and schools. When children are allowed to select where, with what, and how to play, they are truly invested in their play, they become deeply involved and make dramatic progress. This book is an outstanding testament to a responsive and child-led way of working in early years environments. Practitioners will be guided, inspired and supported to work spontaneously and reactively – planning as they go and celebrating the results!

Child-Initiated Play and Learning

Child-Initiated Play and Learning PDF Author: Annie Woods
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1134888538
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 153

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Book Description
Child-Initiated Play and Learning shows how a creative approach to learning that allows for spontaneous adventures in play through child-led projects can lead to rich learning experiences that build on children’s own interests. This second edition has been fully updated in light of policy and curriculum changes and features new material to help practitioners make informed decisions around digital technology and how children engage with it. Including scenarios and provocative questions for reflective practice, this book looks at planning and considers the possibilities that should be encouraged when playing alongside young children. Drawing on practice from Reggio Emilia, New Zealand, Scandinavia and in settings in the UK, the book covers all aspects of planning including: how to enable and empower children to lead projects; organisation of indoor and outdoor materials and space; inclusive practice and contemporary research; learning through managing risks and adventurous play; working with parents and carers; challenging teams to explore what they actually believe about possibilities of play. In a busy setting it can be difficult to adopt a flexible, creative approach to planning that embraces the unexpected rather than relying on templates or existing schemes of work. This book will give readers the confidence to adopt a flexible approach to planning that will better meet the needs of the children in their care. The authors are experienced lecturers, practitioners, advisors and managers. Working with students, visiting placements, training teachers and early years professionals, they provide a sense of real purpose in their optimistic writing and enjoyment in the themes made explicit throughout this book.

Planning in the Moment with Two and Three Year Olds

Planning in the Moment with Two and Three Year Olds PDF Author: Anna Ephgrave
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0429639031
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 343

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Book Description
Children are most engaged – and therefore learn best – when they are following their own interests. In this book, Anna Ephgrave shows how her acclaimed ‘planning in the moment’ approach can be used with two and three year olds with dramatic results for both children and staff. It reveals the impact that free-flowing, child-initiated play has on very young children’s wellbeing, making them feel safe, secure and consequently helping them to be fully engaged in their learning. The first part of the book clearly explains the principles of child-initiated play and demonstrates how practitioners can create the best possible environment for very young children, also looking at the resources and practices that need to be in place for them to flourish. There is detailed guidance on the role of the practitioner, including how adults should observe children’s play, before deciding how – or if – to interact in that moment to ensure that each interaction moves learning forward and supports the child’s unique development. The second part of the book tracks some of the events from each month in the toddler room of an outstanding preschool, following a cohort of children through a year, to show how the setting moved from topic-based, adult-led activities to a fully child-led way of working. Key features include: Over 350 full colour photos to illustrate practice Specific guidance on using the ‘in the moment’ approach with all children, including those with additional needs Advice on working with parents, individual children and groups Examples of individual learning journeys Photocopiable templates of ‘focus-child’ sheets Covering all aspects of practice from the organization of the room and outdoor environment to the routines and boundaries that ensure children are safe and happy, this book is essential reading for anyone who works with two and three year olds.

Play, Learning and the Early Childhood Curriculum

Play, Learning and the Early Childhood Curriculum PDF Author: Elizabeth Wood
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1446204685
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 257

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Book Description
`An excellent overview of the development in thinking about play, based on research into different aspects of play...This book enables the reader to not only access, and engage with developing theories and ideas, but also provides practical ideas and examples that have been tried and tested in the classroom. This book should be compulsory reading for every teacher of young children who are interested in developing their practice to provide a stimulating, active and playful environment with their children in which effective learning and positive attitudes are developed' - Bernadette Hancock, Headteacher of Christ the King Primary School, Cardiff `One of the major strengths of the book is that it makes some complex theory highly accessible to its audience....This makes it an excellent introductory book for use on inservice and undergraduate programs' - Sue Rogers, Institute of Education `This book aims to improve the quality of play in "educational" settings. It will be valuable for a wide range of practitioners' - Nursery World `In this new and updated edition of an outstanding book, Wood and Attfield once again demonstrate how young children make meaning, and construct knowledge, through play. They combine an informed discussion of the 'ideological tradition' of the early childhood pioneers, which continues to underpin most contemporary provision, with a refreshing openness to the new insights provided by recent research, and the new opportunities offered by the Foundation Stage era. Their unrivalled explanation of the links between theorists, such as Vygotsky, and classroom provision for play, is now expanded through considerations of recent findings in neuroscience, and a renewed awareness of the sociocultural contexts of childhood, as well as by studies which acknowledge the importance of boisterous, rough-and-tumble, play activities for children's development. And throughout, they remind readers and practitioners of the important distinction between play as a spontaneous activity of children ('play as such'), and the play which educators offer as a medium for learning' - Elizabeth Brooker, Course Leader: MA in Childhood Studies, Institute of Education 'This book provides a thorough and up-to-date overview of the topical issue of teaching and learning through play. Chapters cover issues including assessment through play, the role of adults in children's play, the impact of play on social and emotional learning and how to develop a whole-school approach to learning through play. ...This book is theoretical and detailed but extremely interesting and there is certainly practical information to be found in it' - Early Talk This timely Second Edition explores recent developments which strongly endorse play as an integral part of the curriculum. The content has been fully revised to reflect contemporary thinking about the role and value of play in early childhood and beyond. A key focus is the provision of a secure theoretical and practical grounding for developing a pedagogy of play. In the first section, the authors provide an overview of recent developments in education policies, and reviews of research into different aspects of play. In the second section, the emphasis is on classroom practice, specifically: organizing and developing play with particular reference to the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1; establishing progression and continuity with Key Stage 1; assessing children's learning through play; the role of adults in children's play; using the plan-do-review approach to integrate child-initiated and adult-directed play; the importance of socio-dramatic play for children's social and emotional learning; and developing a whole-school play ethos. This book enables practitioners to create unity between play, learning and teaching, and to improve the quality of children's learning. New material provided by practitioners has been added, to show how this unity can be successfully achieved. This is an essential text for students of education. It is highly recommended to those undertaking degrees in Childhood Studies and those on Initial Teacher Training programmes in early years and primary education.

Child-initiated Play

Child-initiated Play PDF Author: Su Wall
Publisher: Featherstone
ISBN: 9781408140529
Category : Active learning
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Independent learning and child-initiated activities are at the heart of early learning. This book explains the background and philosophy behind independent play for the under 3s and then each chapter relates to a specific area of learning/play e.g. messy play, water play, mud play (!) supported by lots of practical activities and suggestions for suitable resources. Crucially, it also suggests ways of involving parents. This book will appeal to early years practitioners, childcare staff, childminders and parents.

Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8

Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309324882
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 587

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Book Description
Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Purposeful Play

Purposeful Play PDF Author: Kristine Mraz
Publisher: Heinemann Educational Books
ISBN: 9780325077888
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Play is serious business. Whether it's reenacting a favorite book (comprehension and close reading), negotiating the rules for a game (speaking and listening), or collaborating over building blocks (college and career readiness and STEM), Kristi Mraz, Alison Porcelli, and Cheryl Tyler see every day how play helps students reach standards and goals in ways that in-their-seat instruction alone can't do. And not just during playtimes. "We believe there is play in work and work in play," they write. "It helps to have practical ways to carry that mindset into all aspects of the curriculum." In Purposeful Play, they share ways to: optimize and balance different types of play to deepen regular classroom learning teach into play to foster social-emotional skills and a growth mindset bring the impact of play into all your lessons across the day. "We believe that play is one type of environment where children can be rigorous in their learning," Kristi, Alison, and Cheryl write. So they provide a host of lessons, suggestions for classroom setups, helpful tools and charts, curriculum connections, teaching points, and teaching language to help you foster mature play that makes every moment in your classroom instructional. Play doesn't only happen when work is over. Children show us time and time again that play is the way they work. In Purposeful Play, you'll find research-driven methods for making play an engine for rigorous learning in your classroom.

Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves

Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves PDF Author: Louise Derman-Sparks
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781938113574
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
Anti-bias education begins with you! Become a skilled anti-bias teacher with this practical guidance to confronting and eliminating barriers.