week 1 play

• Play is fundamental in early childhood as it drives young children's development.
• Through play, children express their developing personality, sense of self, intellect, social capacity, and physicality.
• Teacher-Directed Play refers to children’s play that is organized and directed or controlled by an adult.
• The teacher’s intentions are clear and specific.
• Through play, children direct their energy toward activities of their own choice.
• According to the National Preschool Standard- Based Curriculum (NPSC) and Assessment Document, there are various teaching and learning strategies that can be used by teachers: Child-Centred Learning, Learning Through Play, Inquiry-Based Learning, Integrated Approach, Thematic Approach, Project Based Learning, Mastery Learning, and Contextual Learning.
• Play allows pupils to explore, make discoveries and build experiences in a natural way.
• Physical, socio emotional, cognitive, language development and pupils’ potential are enhanced and maximized through play.
• Guided Play refers to children’s play that is influenced intentionally by adults.
• Play-centered curricula support children's development and learning in all contexts and settings, including indoor and outdoor.
• Play-centered curricula are not opportunities for teachers to stand aside but require highly competent, involved, and purposeful teachers.
• Early childhood educators have observed and emphasized that young children bring energy and enthusiasm to their play that not only seems to drive development but also seems to be an inseparable part of development.
• To meet the needs of all children, we recommend the school implement a play-centered curriculum complemented by daily life activities and some teacher-directed activities.
• Children's symbolic development is fostered through the creation and use of symbols in pretend play as well as in hypothetical, "as if" situations.
• A balanced, play-centered program in which neither spontaneous play nor teacher-planned activities are the only mode is recommended.
• Child-Initiated Play refers to play that is initiated by the child.
• According to theorists who study play, children's play is often nonliteral pretend play that is not bound by external rules.
• Teacher-Directed Play refers to play that is directed by the teacher.
• Through play, children develop boundaries of the real and the imagined and also visions of the possible.
• In a play-centered curriculum, education for children from preschool through the primary years should promote the development of both the competent young child and the competent future child.
• The ultimate goal of play-centered curricula is to provide conditions that foster children's development using their sources of energy.
• Teachers play an active role in balancing spontaneous play, guided play, teacher-directed play, and teacher-planned activities while developing a play-centered curriculum.
• Instead of emphasizing instrumental play, curricula in content areas can enrich and support good play.
• The play-centered curriculum is a curriculum that uses the power of play to foster children's development holistically.
• Play allows children to develop at their own pace.
• When children play, they are intrinsically motivated and engrossed in what interests them most.
• Play-centered curriculum promotes equity because they are built around the strengths of young children rather than their weaknesses.
• Spontaneous Play refers to behaviors that arise from intrinsic motivation, that are self-directed, and that represent expressions of children’s interests and desires.
• Children are practicing and developing competencies at the edge of their potential.
• Play helps children to enhance their social and emotional development, such as sharing, and self-regulate.
• Through active involvement in play, it helps to enhance children's confidence, including self-esteem, self-efficacy, positive dispositions, and the ability to regulate emotions.
• Children's definition of the play focuses on their choices (rather than adult's choices), their activities (rather than adult's instrumental objectives), and their freedom (rather than adult's expectations and directions).
• Children play to detach themselves from reality but, at the same time, they get closer to reality, e.g., pretending to be frightened of a monster enables children to experience fear, but typically in an emotionally safe context.
• Play may not be fun or enjoyable if there is the occurrence of "dark play" and "cruel play", where children may engage in bullying, teasing, and other forms of social aggression.
• Play requires active involvement.
• Children may choose to create items in their play, which are often of immediate use or relevance.
• Play is what children choose or manage by themselves.
• Adults cannot plan children's play, but they can plan the space, time, and resources for play.
• Play serves as a platform for teachers to observe the interest and development of children.
• Play activity reflects the very existence of the self, that part of the organism that exists both independently and interdependently, that can reflect upon itself and be aware of its own existence.