The other day two of the boys in my group spent the majority of the day in the mud kitchen, They filled pots and pans with natural loose parts, packed in dirt, rocks, and water into muffin tins and worked long and hard planning a party complete with a very well decorated cake. They used kettles to fill cups with mud mixed water and laid out found pieces of felt on wood stumps as placemats for guests.
After spending the day setting up they collected paint chips and set off to cut up tickets. "What color do you want?" they asked as they cut tickets off of the color reel.
As an educator, I am able to observe this play, see what each child is getting out of it, visualize their thinking, their process and ultimately their learning. I understand the value in the children's own natural intrinsic motivation.
As I observe children in the "Zone" I watch as they solve problems on the spot, share ideas and consider the ideas of others, collaborate on completing a task, use past knowledge to take themselves further in their thinking and understanding, in effect stretching their own learning. It's like their mind is set free and their vision is clear.
If I am watching from a, what I call, "outside of the bubble" position I can see the rich learning present in this type of organic play. I can see the whole picture and all of it's moving parts. I can see children who have a deep understanding of numbers, fractions, equal parts, volume, one to one correspondence, language, vocabulary, and an understanding of how tools work. Not to mention the scientific understanding that is gained from manipulating natural loose parts, mixing mediums, and hands-on experiences with the Earths treasures. I see children who display impulse control, respect for others, turn taking, critical thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to create an imaginative story line based largely on past experience.
Now, what do I do with what I see, do I take it and plan a "CAKE MAKING DAY?" no, I allow the children to own the idea, it's theirs.. they own it. I will not hijack their play to make it fit into my mold of where it should go. I will not steer it in any direction, I will not rob them of the right to create their own play, by creating it for them.
If they evolve to the point of wanting to make this "pretend" party into a "real" party I will be there to support them as they write the list of what they need, I will take them to the store and shop for their needs, I will provide them with all the time in the world to experiment with this idea and again.. get out of their way and allow it to unfold, allow the natural learning to take place, to allow the children to own their process.
-Lakisha Reid
Thank you so much for taking your time and share your thoughts along with the photos. I feel very I inspired and encouraged to observe more as children play. I wish to find more like-minded educators. Emilia
ReplyDeleteHello Emilia, I can connect you with other like minded educators. Email me at discoveryelc@hotmail.com and I will give you a link to a wonderful facebook group where we network and support one another along on this journey.
DeleteThank you so much for taking your time and share your thoughts along with the photos. I feel very I inspired and encouraged to observe more as children play. I wish to find more like-minded educators. Emilia
ReplyDeleteLakisha Reid, You make two very important and little addressed points when it comes to a child's play. First - it is important we, parents and caregivers, observe children at play as how they play gives us valuable insights in to a child's individual biologically based way of engaging in different environments and how they are learning without being told the "right" or expected way to learn. Play also provides us with an understanding of how they are emotionally feeling, something they they don't have the ability to share any other way.
ReplyDeleteThe other important point you make is just because a child shows an interest in something does not mean you should push the interest. I have seen it over and over again - some how in the adult mind a child showing a interest in experimenting and playing with an idea = a desire to "do it" in a formal structured learning environment. As you so correctly "state I will not hijack their play to make it fit into my mold of where it should go. I will not steer it in any direction, I will not rob them of the right to create their own play, by creating it for them." The child needs to have control over how deep they choose to go, how the play unfolds, and the choice to leave that activity at anytime.
As a child I loved to play with mud "food" Once my mother threw out some old yeast that no longer worked to make bread. We took it and added it to our pot of mud cookie dough. When we came back in the afternoon it had risen. We were so excited. We didn't have all kinds of pots and pans but old boards make great cookie sheets. Drop cookies baked under the African sun turn out wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI like observing "outside the bubble" My kids never knew how much I watched them. They would come tell me what they did and I had an easy time visualizing it. Unless invited adults should observe outside the bubble.
What a wonderful story of your childhood. I could smell the cookies as I read it! I love how we get to witness the brilliance of children as they play. Here's to remembering the value of uninterrupted play time!
DeleteExactly what ASNeill wrote about play at Summerhill School. As headteacher of his state village school in Gretna Green in 1914-15, he wrote about joining in on the ice slide in the street. Imagine at the time of WWl a headteacher in their suit sliding along the ice. At the end of his Dominie's Log he is taken prisoner by the kids with a cart that is a 'canon'. He writes, "I rejoice! I have turned a hardworking school into a playground..."
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