Room 7 @ Haumoana 2017: Play-Based Learning

Play-based learning is exactly as it sounds- learning through play and seems to have taken New Zealand schools by storm.

This is not a new way of learning and could be seen in action in our primary schools during the 80’s and 90’s, and was called ‘Developmental’. It was a time of play and took place in every junior classroom on every day. It was recognized as an important tool to encourage social skills and positive relationship building.

It is also seen successfully in our kindy’s and preschools and forms part of the important Te Whariki which is the Ministries guidelines for pre schools. It states that in a child's early years they will experience a curriculum that empowers them as life long learners. Children in pre-schools can choose from a variety of carefully thought out activities and they rove from one to the other as their interest levels develop.

Unfortunately this is where play stopped as once children turned 5 and hit primary school the emphasis changed to an academic focus, National Standards, where there was little time to ‘play’. It is now being recognized that we are missing something and we need to find it again…so Play-Based learning is here.

Today too much of our children's time is being organised- structured, there is little time for play. There are numerous lessons to attend after school as well as in school and any free time is often spent looking at a screen which can mean little interaction with other people.

We see break downs in our playgrounds when children cannot relate socially to one another and when problems arise, do not have the skills needed to work to resolve them.

Play is where relationship building takes place, conflict resolution happens, where children can work out their differences-problem solve and learn how to get along with each other and how to talk to each other.

The National Curriculum identifies several values that we strive to teach our children. Almost all can be developed through a play-based approach. Innovation, inquiry, curiosity and sustainability. Not to mention the Key Competencies of Respect, Thinking using language, Managing Self, Relating to others and Participating and Contributing are all seen when children are playing.

We want to develop children that are rich in creativity and innovation. How better can we encourage this than through a program that encourages children using their imaginations, exploring and inventing, discovering new ideas and putting these into action. This is when we see our children talking, discussing, negotiating, risk-taking and working out ways through a difficulty or a problem. We also see conflict and arguments but isn’t that an important part of social development? Seeing and feeling what the effect of our words, emotions and actions have on other people and developing relationships through this.

So how do we see this working in a Year 2 classroom at Haumoana School?

Play happens spontaneously every morning before school with a variety of blocks. The children arrive at school, get themselves organised for the day and immediately start creating. Other children arrive and either join in or start their own creation. They talk, laugh and begin their day on a positive note. I have added old boxes of wooden quisenaire blocks to the mix and now these have become impressive towers or roads linking up their fortresses.

Now the job is to look at other types of play and when and how to integrate it into our school day.

Construction- blocks-duplo, wooden blocks, quisenaire, lego, wooden offcuts
Art station- water colour paints, scissors, pencils, stencils, magazines, stapler, glue guns, small boxes, collage materials, paper, cardboard, play dough
Imaginary- puppets, puppet theatre, sock puppets, finger puppets, dolls, soft toys
Games- chunk stacker, snakes and ladders, maths games, tic tac toe,
Research- topics, i-pad, computer, booklets
Reading- topic box, library

I will explicitly teach the children about ‘Play-time’ in our class, where and when it can happen. The choices of play and the rules around it. An important understanding for the class will be that their work must be completed to an appropriate standard before play happens. This will involve looking at exemplars and making them aware of the criteria expected before they begin their tasks.They must be respectful of their noise level and other workers and they must also be mindful of tidying up their ‘creations’ before they finish or move onto something else. There will be 2 lists- Must Do’s and Can do’s to guide them.

One type of play will be introduced at a time. The rules around it created and the organisation around where it can best happen will be discussed.

Sustainability also needs to be woven into the fibre of play-based learning. There needs to be thought around our practices and how best to care for the planet through informed decisions and actions. Creations need to be thought out, purpose, use, benefit and what they will do with it once completed.

Friday’s sessions of Discovery will see the children further developing their play and different opportunities will be offered. Wood table, water play, outside sporting activities and gardening to name a few. There will be a theme or a challenge to build activities around as well as discussion around a social skill/key competency that will be focused on. I will work with the children to plan these sessions. This is already seen in action with children finding articles in journals and other resources which they are keen to develop further during this time. We will join with the other Junior classes which also encourages a building of different relationships amongst our children. There will be a reflection session at the end of the morning where they will be encouraged to share thoughts or items that they have created during the session.