Incorporating play into the classroom

[LaRain]

As an elementary education student I am a strong supporter of play
within the classroom. However, I question how to incorporate more of
it into the classroom when faced with the requirements of standardized
testing, curriculum constraints, no child left behind and lack of
support from parents?

[wh1181]

Post by LaRain
As an elementary education student I am a strong supporter of play
within the classroom. However, I question how to incorporate more of
it into the classroom when faced with the requirements of standardized
testing, curriculum constraints, no child left behind and lack of
support from parents?

While I agree with you that state and national standards are making it
increasingly difficult to include many important elements of
development into the curriculum, I believe that one way to incorporate
play, students interests and the curriculum is through creative drama.
During my teacher certification program I took a class entitled Drama
in Education and this class opened my eyes to the limitless ways to
include play into the classroom. One author that writes very
detailed, but applicable books on incorporating drama otherwise known
as creative play into the classroom is Viola Spolin. She provides
many activities, both long and short, with varying levels of teacher
interaction. When I first thought of play in the classroom, these
types of activities were not what I had thought of, but this is an
alternative way to meet the needs of the school and of the children.
In case you are interested, another author of interest is Laura
Gardner Salazar. Hope this helps! Good luck!

[LaRain]

Post by wh1181

Post by LaRain
As an elementary education student I am a strong supporter of play
within the classroom. However, I question how to incorporate more of
it into the classroom when faced with the requirements of standardized
testing, curriculum constraints, no child left behind and lack of
support from parents?

While I agree with you that state and national standards are making it
increasingly difficult to include many important elements of
development into the curriculum, I believe that one way to incorporate
play, students interests and the curriculum is through creative drama.
During my teacher certification program I took a class entitled Drama
in Education and this class opened my eyes to the limitless ways to
include play into the classroom. One author that writes very
detailed, but applicable books on incorporating drama otherwise known
as creative play into the classroom is Viola Spolin. She provides
many activities, both long and short, with varying levels of teacher
interaction. When I first thought of play in the classroom, these
types of activities were not what I had thought of, but this is an
alternative way to meet the needs of the school and of the children.
In case you are interested, another author of interest is Laura
Gardner Salazar. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Thanks so much for the insightful information. I plan on taking the
same class in the spring semester before student teaching in the
following fall and everyone who has taken it has the same reaction.
Can you detail your lessons to meet the needs of any age learner
including the earlier grades? Does it seem like theater for students
or more creative ways to incorporate the interests of the students?
Does the public library carry these authors by chance?

Taking play a little further, what about including the students
current interests into the classroom? For example, many teachers my
children have had in the past have felt their interests are
distracting in the classroom implementing a not allowed in the
classroom rather than embracing their likes and incorporating them
into lessons such as writing. My oldest son once had a tatoo of his
favorite character on his hand and feared being caught with it so he
tried writing with his other hand. this to me is a negative impact on
his creativity as well as unneccessary fear. I am curious as to
anyone elses thoughts and reasons for their way of thinking on this
one. Thanks for your wonderful input too.