PLAY-BASED LEARNING: PRODUCING CRITICAL, CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE THINKERS

February 2015

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http://www.educationreview.co.nz/magazine/february-2015/play-based-learning-producing-critical-creative-and-innovative-thinkers/#.WLKGQhJ95E8.

I found this article really amazing. I have students in my class that just are not ready for reading and writing. They are still developing their oral language. How to move from playing alongside to playing with each other. I am considering the difference in the classroom atmosphere when they are playing. Yes, it is noisier and messy. I am not overly worried about this. What parts of my day can I have play? Can I still meet curriculum requirements? Will tuakana/ teina happen automatically?
What simple things can I give them to use? I need to stop purchasing stuff. They have plenty and some students show no respect for what I purchase. I think I shall look for free stuff only.

We all know that play contributes positively to a child’s sense of well-being. It enhances a child’s natural capacity for intense and self-motivated learning.  It helps build creative and critical thinkers, and lets children test social boundaries. Play produces curiosity, openness, optimism, resilience and concentration. It enhances a child’s memory skills, develops their language skills, helps regulate their behaviour, advances their social skills and encourages academic learning to take place.

Why not be that brave teacher who says ‘I’m going to bring play back into my classroom’? Maybe your next PD session could be a visit to a local kindergarten to see the learning that is taking place...through play.

10 ways to bring back play, have fun and promote learning:

1. Buy old suitcases at the op-shop and fill them with various manipulation toys: Lego, Duplo, Meccano, wooden blocks, magnets and an assortment of magnetic and non-magnetic materials. Bring them out at different times of the day and let your pupils spend 15 minutes creating.
2. Keep a plastic cube full of natural materials. Children love having a handful of shells, some pieces of branch, some stones and a glue-gun. Trust me on this! Give them these things and stand back and watch the creativity and learning that takes place!
3. Collect a box of mechanical junk from the recycling store and add several screwdrivers and Allen keys. Set the box up somewhere in the classroom for the children to go to before school, or on rainy day lunch times.
4. Bring out the woodwork table and tools you will find hidden in the back of the caretaker or sports shed.  Add a box of wooden off-cuts (not treated wood) and you have created an amazing builder’s paradise!  Keep this table just inside your door so you can easily put it outside each day. Offer it to your colleagues’ students to use outside your room.  I found I never used to get in trouble for the noise my students made when I offered it to other classes!
5. Introduce glue-guns to your classroom along with a large basket full of recycled cereal boxes, perfume boxes, toothpaste boxes, egg cartons, etc. I suggest you use cool glue-guns which can be found at your local supplies store.
6. Alternate between having a sand or water tray in your room. Along with learning science and maths concepts, children also have the opportunity to practise their social skills.
7. I can’t think of anything better to use ice-cream containers for, than to fill them with play-dough.  It is easy to make, can last a couple of weeks and children of most ages enjoy playing with it. Don’t be scared off by the ‘germ-brigade’. Dirty play-dough doesn’t kill, and children over five don’t tend to snack on it!
8. Why not include a painting easel into your room and give it the respect one gives a classroom computer. Use watercolour paint cakes with a jar of water and a cloth nearby and let children come and paint when they feel like it.  The world will not stop spinning if you let a child spend 10 minutes painting her masterpiece during silent reading.
9. Have a box of dress-ups in your classroom. A Year 6 teacher may allow his students to use them every time they present something to the class. This infuses the presentation with laughter and helps put the more nervous students at ease.
10. Wooden blocks should be in every classroom at every level in primary school. That’s a no-brainer...all children, at any age enjoy building with blocks.