Distinctive Pictures of Practice in a Play-Based Prekindergarten Program

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 9:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Play and Learning

Abstract

While we know play can be an important pedagogical tool and that different types of play can help teachers reach student goals, we also know teachers exist within complex policy contexts, hold diverse beliefs about practice, and have different histories and identities – all which inform how they enact curriculum. Teachers play decisions can greatly impact children’s classroom experiences. This paper examines how two teachers in an innovative play program structured play. I consider both the children and teachers’ agency as I describe the distinctions and uniformities present in their classrooms, detailing the different types of play practices, how the teachers enacted them, and how children responded.

Author

• Kristin L. Whyte, DePaul University