Developing play based learning for Year 1 -5

We value inquiry learning at our Te Karaka Area school.  We value student led learning, project based learning, Maker spaces.  I want to discuss Passion. A time set aside for students to explore new ideas.  Initially passion was about giving students at TKAS new experiences and new opportunities to met knowledge they may not have met. Teacher led, teacher chosen new ideas.

2016 we are merging this idea with foundations play based learning.

Behind learning is a continuum of pedagogy.

The first is Curriculum, stage based learning or academic learning.  The second is developmental learning.  Curriculum, stage based learning is to do with following a curriculum and assessing students to find out where they are and then moving them on to the next step.  The curriculum is aged based.  For example, you are expected to do a certain task by or at a certain age.  National Standards is an example of assessment which people often use to guide their teaching by (although it was not designed to take over the NZ curriculum).  Assessments are often age based and fail or pass given.  Children often compare themselves to others because they know where they are in comparison to a peer.  They get very good at just learning what the teacher expects them to learn.  Failure and success are based on a teachers judgement.  In foundation this includes phonics and reading and our assessment of writing and maths.

The second type of pedagogy is developmental.  This is about allowing a child to unfold, to develop at their own pace recognising the biology in everyone is different.  Just like young children don't walk at the same age, neither do children learn at the same age.  More importantly this pedagogy recognises it is not good for children to be pushed beyond their developmental readiness.  By working with a child, whole brain development is seen and whole children grown.  Failure and success are seen as part of the learning process.

I am trying to find my way through this jungle of pedagogy.  I love developmental.  I disagree with stage based learning according to someones idea of where a child should be by a certain age.  Although I am not opposed to teaching concepts in a certain order or stage.  I need to find my way through this and combine the two.  It just might mean a child will make the stage but at a different age. That is why we have agreed that we will hold off skill based learning until we see readiness in children anywhere from age 6 to 7ish.

The drop down menu of developmental or play based learning is very different to stage based or academic learning.  The way the environment is set up is different.  The way a teacher teachers is different.
Foundation - equipment set out.  Space can be freely used for whatever the child is learning.  Teachers try and get along side child to teach.   Combined with a knowledge of stage based learning as to where the child should be and the next steps for them.  Less teacher directed lessons, however, we do teach phonics and reading by using stages of where a child should be but we find where they are up to not based on age but based on stage. And we are aware of where they sit for their academic knowledge of maths and writing.  We teach them in play rather than in a skill based group.

Definition of play based learning
To be play based in which children are getting the full use of their natural learning styles and working  their executive function and full brain. The following definition is used as a guide.

Peter Gray outlines a very important and crucial philosophy of play.  To be helpful play - play must be

1. Self-chosen and self-directed
2. process rather than product driven;
3. contains structures or rules established by the players themselves;
4. imaginative, non-literal and removed from reality
5. occurs between those who are active, alert and non-stressed.

(Grey, 2013; Brewer, 2007)

  Play based learning doesn't exclude academics it just allows it to unfold at a different time.  So stage based is usually teacher choice and directed - you will learn this at this time because this is what you should be learning for your age.  Eg.  Maths curriculum and phonics.  Structures and rules made by teachers.  Non imaginative based on reality.  Often includes more inactivity.

 For play based learning. 

Bringing some teacher ideas into the mix can be helpful, but it is also very important that children can experiment , be curious, and then think of something they want to make. (They may not want to make anything.  If they don't this doesn't mean they are not learning.  You don't have to make something or produce something to learn).  The process becomes about the mix of experimentation and the skills needed to make their ideas.  Teachers need to be able to support children with skills when they need them.   The older children get, the further they move developmentally the more abstract thinking they can use, the more able they are to use design thinking principles.

I guess it is swapping around our natural way of teaching.  Spending more time supporting and watching rather than directing. Instead of deciding on what we will teach at the beginning, we have a lesson or idea prepared. We may even share the idea.  However, if the students are not interested we don't require them to do it.  Sometimes, we may set the environment up with the equipment for that idea, but if no child chooses it we wait.  We watch students play with equipment which is open ended.  We wait and see what they want to do.  If four students want to build a boat out of wood.  We wait to see their plans.  We notice that they want to cut the wood to certain sizes, but after letting them try for a while, they fail.  It is at this point that we step in and ask them if they would like us to show them how to cut the wood.  Along the way to this, we may make suggestions,  You could put the wood in a vice.  You could try marking the wood first to make it easier to know where to cut?  Lots of 'you could..'  not so much 'this is how it is done'.

Thinking about our Passion time now.  Twice a week.  1.05 until 2.45pm.
How will we run this?

To get the ball going, I suggest we set up as many open ended pieces of equipment that we can.  Then we let the students play with it.  By play I mean - experiment, be curious, use stickability, reasoning, imagination, investigation, sociability and reflection.  Play becomes the vehicle supporting learning muscles.  We watch, notice, support.  Megan may have her plaster making idea to one side.  Waiarani might have all that is needed to make drums.  Steve might be outside the woodwork room with some hammers and wood, pencils and paper and a variety of materials to use for crafting.  Alicia might be in the dance room with some music playing.  Tara might be in foundation with all the equipment in there.  We start altogether and discuss the rules.  That is to keep us all safe.  Normal class rules, like if you want to use something but someone has it, you need to ask and then wait.  If you want to do one of the activities that a teacher has prepared you may, but if you begin it, you will need to finish it to some degree so make sure you really want to have a go (this is a hard concept for some children to grasp, especially the ones who struggle to use executive function).  We will all bring back something to share, it may be something you made, it may be something you did, it may be something you thought.  But it must be something to do with learning.  It may be a learning muscle you used like stickability or experimentation or curiosity. We show the students the boundaries.  You can go anywhere within this area.  If you need to go to the toilet ask a teacher first please so we know where you are.

Now each of us is making something to show the students.  And we will discuss the process we went through.  I don't actually think this is necessary.  Instead, I think we should keep these for use later on in a few weeks time. When the students have experienced the spaces and equipment, we can then bring in some examples of what we have made and show them the design process we went through.  At this stage, we may also have some skills we think the students may want to know in order for them to progress further.  We can then offer these as needed.

Timing - 1.05 - gather and go through rules.  
1.15 - begin to play
2.15 - pack up
2.30 - gather in small groups with a teacher.  Go around and share what we have made, or done and what learning muscle we have used.
2.45  - Home.