Math Center Dramatic Play Center Reading and Writing Center
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Why Play?
Many parents may wonder what educational benefits their children are recieving when it comes to play in the classroom. Think back to when you were a child, and try to connect to particular moments when you made a personal connection to the world around you. How did those moments happen? Were there people involved? What environment fostered that connection? Although play alone is not enough, the right tools and guidance can simulataneously help children integrate an understanding about their personal life and their surroundings.
In my classroom, play is key to scaffolding children's emotional, social, language, motor, and cognitive growth. Devries et al. (2002) studied the notion of Piaget's renowned constructivist perspective of childhood education, and noted that "whether an experience is educational, we must assess the child's purpose, interest, and engagement" (p.31). Children need to talk about things they see, and with people they know. They also need movement to help them explore and discover what they are capable of doing with their bodies.
Reference:
DeVries, R., Zan, B., Hildebrandt, C., Edmiaston, R., Sales, C. (2002). Developing constructivist early childhood curriculum: Practical principles
and activities. New York: Teachers College Press
Developmental Importance and *Classroom Centers
Cognitive
During this phase of cognitive development, preschoolers can exhibit great displays of “symbolic thought” through forms of “thinking in which symbols are used to stand for things that are not present” (Trawick-Smith, 2014, p.248). Language and pretend play are examples of symbolic thought that can be seen in the classroom during play centers. *My dramatic play center, for example, addresses cognitive development by including symbolic themes, such as a kitchen setting with kitchen items, to promote children's thinking about how cooking can be done without adults modeling cooking for them.
Emotional and Social
Erik Erickson believed that emotional growth involves acquiring competence and self-fulfillment through taking initiative (Trawick-Smith, 2014). Initiative involves participation in lively and imaginative activities that can help foster social and emotional competence.*For example, my math center allows children to build structures with, or among, their classmates to make comparisons and influence ideas. When a child views a peer's work in this area, they are motivated to add on or build similar structures. Thus, children are using self-fulfilling ways to achieve competence by taking initiative in building with blocks.
Language
The interaction between peers and teachers highlight stimulable characteristics that promote language, and the idea of imitating sounds heard when presented to a child is helpful in aiding language development (Trawick-Smith, 2014 ). *The reading and writing center have audio books, journals, and a rug for whole group read alouds. This is an area where children can work on their listening skills by repeating what they hear, and they can use expressive language by making illustrations and letter writing.
Motor
There are fine and gross motor skills that require the use of large and small muscles of the body (Trawick-Smith, 2014). Children need space to help enhance gross motor development so that they can determine what their body is capable of in regards to how they move. Also, fine motor development helps aid children in doing tasks on their own, such as cutting paper and writing stories. *Hence, my art station has music and painting utensils that fosters both domains of motor development. I have songs that narrate children through various stretches and poses, which ultimately guides them toward thinking about their larger muscles. The small to large brushes and sponges at the art center are a few painting utensils that require children to work on their fine motor skills when when dipping into paint and illustrating a picture on canvas.
Reference:
Trawick-Smith, J.(2014). Early childhood development: A multicultural perspective (6th ed.). New York: Pearson.
Many parents may wonder what educational benefits their children are recieving when it comes to play in the classroom. Think back to when you were a child, and try to connect to particular moments when you made a personal connection to the world around you. How did those moments happen? Were there people involved? What environment fostered that connection? Although play alone is not enough, the right tools and guidance can simulataneously help children integrate an understanding about their personal life and their surroundings.
In my classroom, play is key to scaffolding children's emotional, social, language, motor, and cognitive growth. Devries et al. (2002) studied the notion of Piaget's renowned constructivist perspective of childhood education, and noted that "whether an experience is educational, we must assess the child's purpose, interest, and engagement" (p.31). Children need to talk about things they see, and with people they know. They also need movement to help them explore and discover what they are capable of doing with their bodies.
Reference:
DeVries, R., Zan, B., Hildebrandt, C., Edmiaston, R., Sales, C. (2002). Developing constructivist early childhood curriculum: Practical principles
and activities. New York: Teachers College Press
Developmental Importance and *Classroom Centers
Cognitive
During this phase of cognitive development, preschoolers can exhibit great displays of “symbolic thought” through forms of “thinking in which symbols are used to stand for things that are not present” (Trawick-Smith, 2014, p.248). Language and pretend play are examples of symbolic thought that can be seen in the classroom during play centers. *My dramatic play center, for example, addresses cognitive development by including symbolic themes, such as a kitchen setting with kitchen items, to promote children's thinking about how cooking can be done without adults modeling cooking for them.
Emotional and Social
Erik Erickson believed that emotional growth involves acquiring competence and self-fulfillment through taking initiative (Trawick-Smith, 2014). Initiative involves participation in lively and imaginative activities that can help foster social and emotional competence.*For example, my math center allows children to build structures with, or among, their classmates to make comparisons and influence ideas. When a child views a peer's work in this area, they are motivated to add on or build similar structures. Thus, children are using self-fulfilling ways to achieve competence by taking initiative in building with blocks.
Language
The interaction between peers and teachers highlight stimulable characteristics that promote language, and the idea of imitating sounds heard when presented to a child is helpful in aiding language development (Trawick-Smith, 2014 ). *The reading and writing center have audio books, journals, and a rug for whole group read alouds. This is an area where children can work on their listening skills by repeating what they hear, and they can use expressive language by making illustrations and letter writing.
Motor
There are fine and gross motor skills that require the use of large and small muscles of the body (Trawick-Smith, 2014). Children need space to help enhance gross motor development so that they can determine what their body is capable of in regards to how they move. Also, fine motor development helps aid children in doing tasks on their own, such as cutting paper and writing stories. *Hence, my art station has music and painting utensils that fosters both domains of motor development. I have songs that narrate children through various stretches and poses, which ultimately guides them toward thinking about their larger muscles. The small to large brushes and sponges at the art center are a few painting utensils that require children to work on their fine motor skills when when dipping into paint and illustrating a picture on canvas.
Reference:
Trawick-Smith, J.(2014). Early childhood development: A multicultural perspective (6th ed.). New York: Pearson.