Why Is Play So Difficult? Exploring Play Pedagogy in Early Childhood Teacher Education

• In Event: Early Childhood Preservice Teacher Education

Abstract

Although play has been central to the unique identity of early childhood education as a field, play is rarely the focus of teacher education research. Drawing from Dewey's aesthetic theory and utilizing a narrative inquiry approach, this study aimed to deepen understanding of the nature of pre-service teachers’ enacted play pedagogies in order to inform early childhood teacher education. One of the most compelling findings was that while pre-service teachers successfully implemented some specific techniques to facilitate play, they struggled to make sense of the children’s experiences. This study provides narrative descriptions of pre-service teachers’ experiences with play pedagogies in order to illustrate the importance of cultivating perception in teacher education.

Author

• Jolyn Blank, University of South Florida