Play in the 21st Century Kindergarten classroom shouldn't just be an arbitrary assortment of toys. It needs to be well thought-out and planned, tied to the standards, and must include a wide variety of materials to maintain the engagement of 21st Century Learners. In this video we will explore what it takes to plan structured play for the 21st Century Kindergarten classroom and I will outline my yearlong plan for play.
Play themes in my 21st Century Kindergarten classroom align with academic themes and are meant to enhance learning in all areas by immersing students in real-world situations. Here's a quick glance at the yearlong plan:
What can you remember about Kindergarten (or first grade for those who didn't attend Kindergarten)? When I think about my Kindergarten experience I'm warmed with memories of playing in the leaves on a fall day, sitting on the carpet listening to my teacher play songs on her guitar, color with fat crayons and writing my name with a fat pencil, heading home after lunch, and lots of playtime. What will 21st Century Kindergarteners remember about their experience years from now? Will they remember taking standardized tests on the computer, learning perfect penmanship after practicing on worksheets, memorizing sight words from long lists, mastering math facts with a pencil and paper, and "Magic School Bus" videos watched from their desks?
As teachers and parents is this how we want our Kinders to remember their very first school experience? For me, I can answer that with a resounding, "NO!"
(Okay - except maybe the "Magic School Bus" part - I love that show!)
When I first started teaching Kindergarten a few years ago I believed that Kinders in the 21st Century didn't really need playtime with half-dressed baby dolls and a hodgepodge of wooden blocks and that if I were to focus on my standards I would not have time for such frivolities. After a year or so I started to realize that, although my students were learning at pretty high levels, something was missing in my Kindergarten classroom and I found myself asking,
"Why is P-L-A-Y a 4-Letter Word?"
Watch as I discuss how I came to the conclusion that play should NOT be a 4-letter word and should most definitely be included in the daily Kindergarten schedule.
Now that we have established the importance of play I know you are asking, "HOW IN THE WORLD DO I FIT IT IN?"
That's why I'm SO excited to be planning a new series of posts all about how to implement "structured and choreographed" play in the 21st Century Kindergarten Classroom.
Do you already make time for play? What are your favorite play themes? Do you have any questions about how to plan?
I have a love/hate relationship with Guided Reading, how about you? I LOVE working with small groups of students on exactly what they need, I LOVE the hum of a classroom alive with lots of small group work in action, I LOVE using printable leveled books to monitor the progress my students are making with reading, and I LOVE the intimacy of talking quietly with just a few students that might otherwise never be heard in the large group setting. BUT... I hate that I feel overwhelmed by the amount of content or skills I think I should address, I hate the days when we are interrupted and my whole system gets derailed, I hate feeling like there's more I should have accomplished, and I hate that my time with small groups is so limited.
So, to "make friends" again with Guided Reading
I try to take a step back and think about the BIG PICTURE.
What do I really hope to accomplish in my small group time?
Well, I want my students to be able to read and writeindependently at their instructional level and I want that level to move forward.
When I think about that BIG PICTURE goal, I am able to really focus on what's most important and narrow my lessons down to the 3 Most Important Things to Include in a Guided Reading lesson.
Watch as I discuss what I have found to be the most important parts of a Guided Reading lesson.
It's really simple when you think about the BIG PICTURE!
