A closer look at Play in an Innovate Learning Environment

We have the privilege of hosting Masters students from the University of Canterbury at Haeata Community Campus.  Last week they asked a very good question.

"I was wondering if the philosophy of play-based learning at Haeata focussed on free play or also more structured play?"

from "Learning, Playing and Interacting - Good practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage."

There is much debate around play and what constitutes play and whether children learn 
through play. Learning through play is the outworking of an Innovate Learning

Environment in Hikuawa (our learning hub at Haeata).  
It is developmentally appropriate and responsive to the Ākongas needs.

The above continuum explores the different ways Educators could interact with a child in play.
I like that it is honest, suggesting possibilities of different approaches by educators to play.
It defines possible learning pathways.  According to this continuum, research shows that children learn most effectively in the green-highlighted segments. That is not to say learning doesn't happen in the
outer regions. It suggests the importance of the relationship between teacher and student.

We at Haeata are on a journey. As a team, we continually reflect on our practice. We are in the early stages of creating the most effective environment for our Åkonga (learners) to learn in. The above diagram is proving to be a very helpful tool in achieving this.

At any one time, educators in Hikuawa can be doing the following;

1. Unstructured - Play without adult support noticing what is happening.  

Setting up the environment to support Ākongas needs.

Children learn through self-directed actions. Children are biologically designed to learn through play. 

2.  Child-initiated play - the teacher is supporting the child through coaching.

 Social, emotional, academic coaching. The incredible year's programme provides excellent tools to achieve this. Coaching during the play. The teacher follows the child's lead, reflects on what the child is doing and how they can extend or add next steps.  This is Vygotsky's ZPD in action.

3. Focused learning - During one 90 learning block we provide a range of workshops for
Åkonga to choose from. These workshops flow from the child-initiated play.
They may offer new ideas that children have experienced before.
During this time, we have visiting teachers such as a Kaiako

from our senior school, the local librarian, a teacher of music and a Kapahaka tutor.

A Kaiako (teacher) may take a group out to visit a local building site and notice what

is happening, this workshop comes from the children's interest in building.

One teacher may offer a specific art technique, another, a workshop about forces,

applying this to Beyblades. Still, another may enable the creation of an obstacle course.

4. Highly structured -  Our Phonics lessons are an example of this.
Everyone is in a group designed for their learning stage. Some of our phonics is very playful, but what defines
it as being structured is when the children have to come and participate. We all do phonics after lunch.
In an ideal world, the teaching of phonics would be integrated into the play, but for the time being at least,
this is the best way for us to deliver this skill.

Similarly, for Åkonga ready for a more focused approach, direct instruction, we provide a
specialized writing tutor from within our team. This time also includes some of our Puna Ako group
(those close to our heart), where we teach social and emotional skills explicitly, and
organize personal learning plans. These small groups form the hub of our relationships.
We meet twice a day.

As we continue to develop practice together, for a range of learners, this diagram provides a scaffold for us to understand how we work as a team and how we honestly learn through play.  For example, I am particularly skilled at using play without the adult support through child-initiated play.  I spend a lot of time educating here.  Others in our team focus on adult guided playful experiential learning.  They enjoy setting up workshops for children to join.    Collaboration works wonders as we all bring different ideas into the environment from what we have noticed the Åkonga play.  We move fluidly along the continuum, becoming increasingly skillful at knowing what level of support is needed at any one time.

The type of play that Åkonga joins in is totally up to them.  We trust our learners to make wise decisions.  We view them as capable and able.  Together we are building a culture where learning is irresistible.  It is presented as a banquet table of learning delights. 

 A diagram I created to summarize learning.