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I\u2019ve been busy behind the pages of this blog. <\/em><\/p>\n Between conferences and workshops and the planning meetings that accompany those trainings, a common topic emerged, something I\u2019ve been mulling over a bit. It is this: Is play as a valuable part of early childhood classrooms more likely to be challenged when applied to low-income populations \u2013 children who may be viewed as \u201cbehind?\u201d Is it harder to get support for developmentally appropriate practices for children who need the most developmental support? <\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I shared the observation via Instagram<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>, and the questions are still rumbling around in my brain. So, I decided to continue the conversation by sharing the post here as well. <\/em><\/p>\n I would love to hear your thoughts and observations.<\/em><\/p>\n Over the past week, I\u2019ve had different conversations with different professionals in different states serving different demographics.<\/p>\n But one common thread emerged: <\/strong>Often play is accepted as a powerful driver for development and learning\u2026UNLESS children are viewed as \u201cbehind.\u201d Then these advocates are met with more resistance.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t personally assign any malevolent intention in these instances. I think it\u2019s an example of \u201cwanting to help so badly\u201d that we actually end up giving help \u201cbadly.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s interesting to me that the data we reference to support play-based, high-quality early childhood education \u2013 data that show long-term, positive benefits \u2013 are derived from studies often done in economically disadvantaged populations. Yet, the methods they support are often more easily found among the affluent.<\/p>\n Likewise, pioneers in the early education field like Montessori and Vygotsky established their work demonstrating the benefits of their methods in populations that had, in many regards, been excluded from education or even thought of as unteachable. Children who supposedly couldn\u2019t \u201ccatch up\u201d proved everyone wrong<\/p>\n .And yet, there are some who believe that those who are \u201cbehind\u201d or \u201cdisadvantaged\u201d or \u201cother\u201d need more flash cards and worksheets and drilling to \u201ccatch up.\u201d<\/p>\n To \u201ccatch up\u201d to the children who are playing.<\/p>\n The dissonance is astounding.<\/strong><\/p>\n As Erika Christakis questions, \u201cAre we willing as a society to outsource young children\u2019s imagination to the affluent, like an offshore tax shelter?\u201d<\/p>\n There are no \u201cother\u201d kids in this scenario.<\/p>\n ALL children need play.<\/p>\n ALL children benefit from play.<\/p>\n ALL children deserve play.<\/p>\n \n<\/div>\n
\nRelated<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n