"STOP PLAYING" THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE

 LEARNING STORY

“STOP PLAYING”… THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!            BRADY

WRITTEN by SUZANNE SELF

PRELUDE

·      PLAY IS ESSENTIAL TO EARLY LEARNING. It is the main way children learn and develop ideas about the world.

·      PLAY helps children build the skills necessary for critical thinking and leadership.

·      PLAY is how children learn to solve problems and to feel good about their ability to learn.

·      Most child development experts agree that play is an essential part of a high-quality early learning program. Play is not a break from learning—it’s the way young children learn.

·      Children learn the most from play when they have skilled teachers who are well-        trained in understanding how play contributes to learning. Children’s Advocate 2007

THE RES PRESCHOOL PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE ABOVE BELIEFS AND STAFF MEMBERS POSSESS THE ACCEPTED WISDOM THAT PRESCHOOLERS NEED TO PLAY. HOWEVER, A WEEK AGO THE TWO WORDS “STOP PLAYING” CREPT INTO OUR CLASSROOM AND MADE A BRIEF AND UNEXPECTED APPEARANCE.

BRADY HAD FINISHED CONSUMING HIS TYPICAL LUNCH ITEMS CONSISTING OF YOGURT, JUICE, AND A GRANOLA BAR.  HE WAS CONVERSING WITH PEERS AS THE “DESSERT BASKET” WAS BEING PASSED AMONG FRIENDS. THE CHILDREN CAREFULLY SELECTED A CLEMENTINE TO COMPLETE THEIR LUNCH. EACH CHILD BEGAN PEELING THEIR ORANGE GLOBE AS THEY PREPARED TO CONSUME A JUICY, SWEET DOSE OF VITAMIN C. BRADY QUICKLY PULLED THE PEEL AWAY FROM THE PULP OF HIS FRUIT. HE PROCEEDED BY PRESSING EACH ORANGE PEEL ONTO THE SURFACE OF THE TABLE MAKING IT FLAT AND THE TABLE WET WITH JUICE. MY QUICK RESPONSE WAS,”PLEASE STOP PLAYING WITH YOUR FOOD”.

AS SOON AS THE WORDS LEFT MY LIPS I WANTED TO RETRACT THEM! AN INTERNAL ALARM WENT OFF, PLAY IS ESSENTIAL TO LEARNING!

HOWEVER, TO MY SURPRISE, THE PHRASE PROMPTED BRADY TO PURSUE AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN! HE QUICKLY BEGAN PLACING THE PEELS INTO THREE VERY DISTINCT GROUPS. LOOKING AT ME AND SEEKING APPROVAL HE SAID, 

“LOOK I SORTED THEM!”

I ENCOURAGED BRADY TO TELL ME MORE ABOUT HIS SORTING AND HE CAREFULLY POINTED TO EACH GROUP AND PROUDLY LABELED THEM “BIG, MEDIUM AND LITTLE!”

PLAYING WITH ORANGE PEELS LED BRADY TO; 

DESCRIBE AND EXPLORE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG OBJECTS AND MATERIALS IN HIS ENVIRONMENT and

ORGANIZE INFORMATION INTO CATEGORIES! VERMONT EARLY LEARNING STANDARDS   

CLEARLY BRADY WAS AN EXPERIENCED MATHEMATICIAN!  “Mathematics is the ability to think logically, to solve problems, and to notice relationships. It is one way to make sense of the world because it helps us find order and logic by noticing patterns, making predictions, and solving problems.” (Dodge, Colker & Heroman, 2000, p. 40)

BRADY'S MATH SKILLS INSPIRED OUR CLASS TO CONTINUE PLAYING WITH ORANGE PEELS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. THROUGHOUT THE WEEK YOUNG MATHEMATICIANS CREATED CRANBERRY AND ORANGE PEEL WREATHS BY RECOGNIZING, CREATING AND PREDICTING PATTERNS!

“BRADY PLEASE KEEP PLAYING!”

BRADY USES ONE TO ONE CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNTS TEN, HEART SHAPED ORANGE PEELS. 

ALLIE AND JAKE CREATE CRANBERRY/ORANGE PATTERNS

 CALEB AND LOGAN SORT FRUIT INTO TWO GROUPS

ROUND, PATTERN WREATHS