Guided Play Principles and Practices, Pre-K to 3

Contents

Foreword  vii

Acknowledgments  xi

Introduction  1
A Legislative Action  2
Our Coaching Solution  3
Developing a Framework  5
The Book’s Structure  10

1.  The Science of Playful Learning  12
Making the Case for Play  13
The Science of How Children Learn  15
Putting the Science of Play Into Practice  24
Conclusion  27

2.  A Three-Part Framework for Implementing Guided Play  28
The Structure of the Guided Play Framework  28
Conclusion  44

3.  The Art of Guided Play  46
A Philosophical Shift  47
The Role of the Environment as the “Third Teacher”  50
Defining Teachers’ Roles as Facilitators of Guided Play  65
Conclusion: Trust the Process, Transform the Practice  74

4.  The Critical Role of Reflection  75
Guided Play Facilitator as a Reflective Practitioner  76
The Role of Reflection in Learning  79
Reflection Within the Guided Play Framework  80
Strategies for Reflecting With Children  81
Conclusion: Building a Reflective Learning Community  89

5.  Documentation of Learning Through Guided Play  90
Documentation Is a Reflective Process  90
The Documentation Cycle  91
Documentation as Assessment  101
Integrating the Documentation Process Within the Guided Play Framework  102
Documentation as a Tool for Advocacy  108
Conclusion  108

6.  Advocating for Play-Based Learning: Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers  110
Why Advocacy Matters Now  111
Understanding Your Context and Audiences  112
Navigating Common Barriers: The Barriers and Bridges Framework  116
Advocacy Tools and Approaches  119
Reflecting on the Advocacy Landscape: A Holistic Perspective  129
When Advocacy Faces Challenges: Adapting and Persevering  129
Conclusion: The Ripple Effect of Play Advocacy  131

Appendices: Guided Play Resources and Templates  133
Appendix A: Getting Started With Guided Play Template: A 4-Week Implementation Guide for Teachers  134
Appendix B: Integrating Guided Play Into the Day and Sample Daily Schedule  140
Appendix C: Supporting All Learners Through Guided Play: A Resource for Children Who Are Multilingual Learners, Children With Disabilities, and Children With Diverse Learning Needs  142
Appendix D: Open-Ended Questions for Guided Play  148
Appendix E: Documentation Presentation Strategies: Documentation “Panel”  150
Appendix F: Documentation Presentation Strategies: Digital Documentation  151
Appendix G: Documentation Presentation Strategies: Interactive Documentation  152
Appendix H: Documentation Analysis and Responsive Action Templates  153
Appendix I: Documentation Linking Play to Standards Template  158
Appendix J: Classroom Observation Guide for Play-Based Learning  163
Appendix K: Communication Templates for Playful Learning Advocacy  173
Appendix L: Sample Playful Learning Standards Crosswalk for Kindergarten  184
Appendix M: (Play Invitation) Crosswalk—Blank Template  194

References  195

Index  203

About the Authors  212