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Hi Wendy,
I have always believed that children learn through play. This article gave me another confirmation of how children learn through play. This article explains how children learn to socialize and problem solve through play and they develop a variety of other skills and it also assists teachers awareness of how to explain how it and adds to a child's imagination and their learning skills.

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Favorite quote from this article is “ To me a love of learning any sense of curiosity and not being afraid to fail are far more important skills then mastering ABCs at 4 and 5”. In the past six months that I have been here with ilead I have learned that play is very important to our learners
I seen that are learners play that they are doctors in a dramatic play area and how they work together to fix their  patients . Then thinking that one day one of our learners may go in to the medical field.
My favorite part of the article was when the teacher asked if the Astronauts were ready because our learners built a rocket ship and played NASA last year in November .

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This article is a perfect article to send out to our families and prospective families alike. This is a great example of our "why"!
My favorite quote is, "To me, a love of learning and a sense of curiosity and not being afraid to fail are far more important skills than mastering your ABCs at 4 and 5, it's not that they're playing frivolous things".
My favorite part was in the very beginning when the author "sets the scene" of the classroom. She uses the words, "untrained eye" and that speaks to me because here at AV we have to defend our philosophy constantly. This is the PERFECT way to put it!!

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Favorite Quote: “If anything, having that sense of self and curiosity made it easier for them to try. It’s also coming from within, not from me or any adult forcing them to read.”

Favorite Part: To the untrained eye Peggy Bevington’s class may look like simple fun and games...

Thoughts: Everytime someone walks into our room, they say “I wish I can stay here and JUST play,” not realizing every child is actually learning. It’s not just playing and after reading this article, it makes me more confident in explaining the why and importance to parents.

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Thoughts:
I wish I could speak to Families as well as this article is written. To echo Dani, this is what our program is all about and this article absolutely validates our “why”

Favorite Part:
I love the part where a parent said neither of her kids had to play “catch up” and that actually having that sense of self made it easier for them to try- and it is coming from within, not an adult forcing them

Quote:
"I’d rather have the whole child developed, not just one aspect”

Thank you for sharing!

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In the Antelope Valley, educating our community about our philosophy continues to be a challenge. Articles like this one helps us explain the "why" behind what we do. Early academics is familiar, safe. You don't have to explain it, defend it or observe it. Learning thru play requires thoughtful planning and observation. It requires conversation and engagement. I consider myself a newbie at this but as a parent of two children that could write their full name by age 3, but struggled socially and emotionally, I wish play based learning was an option for them. I witness daily what our program provides for our children. We are developing the whole child, "not just one aspect."

My favorite quote:

"Playing means learning in a context of meaning," said Jane Nolan, Park
West's director. "We try to listen to what kids are interested in and see where that leads us. Play is their way of working through issues and figuring out the world and relationships."

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Thoughts:
Dani made such a terrific point, this article absolutely sets the tone for what we strive for everyday. Our philosophy is beautifully represented by this article. There is always intention behind choosing centers in the classroom that incorporates sensory learning.
Favorite Part:
My favorite part about this article was when it talked about how playing is your passion when you are three and four years old.
"This is the ideal medium for them to be practicing their ability to represent their world symbolically."

Quote: (so hard to pick just one)
"To me, a love of learning and a sense of curiosity and not being afraid to fail are far more important skills than mastering your ABCs at 4 and 5, it's not that they're playing frivolous things. Having to respect another person, taking turns and following instructions, all those skills are required in order to survive in society. I'd rather have the whole child developed, not just one aspect."
- Susie Braman

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This is an important article because it helps us solidify the evidence that play-based early childhood education is imperative for the childrens’ growth and development at this age. We are the first exposure that these children have to learning besides their home. I want to hope that we provide a safe, warm, and inviting environment for them to learn. We set the first impression that will follow them for the rest of their lives.

My favorite quote would be, “I would rather have the whole child developed, not just one aspect.”

LOVE.

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I chose this quote as a great way to explain our "choice centers" in the classroom :) Yes! Not every child has to do art at the same time!  "Every gadget in the classroom is placed there with an eye toward furthering the emotional, social and cognitive development of the child. And teachers don't expect all youngsters to engage in the same activity at the same time."
This is also a great way to describe the value of our home living area! "Pretend play allows young children to put into symbols a representation of their ideas, which is the groundwork for early literacy. It also gives them a chance to develop social skills and foster relationships with their peers, Young said."