play

Debra Goodman (73113.440 who-is-at compuserve.com)
09 Feb 96 12:24:48 EST

Is anyone working/talking about Vygotsky's notions on "play"?
His discussion of play in young children has always fascinated me.
I was reminded of this discussion again as I read the book "Bad Guys Don't Have
Birthdays"- by, one of my favorite Chicagoins, Vivian Paley. Paley seems to me
to provide a "new" perspective on Vygotsky's work. It seemed to me that the book
could have been written as a dialogue about the chapter on "play" in Mind in
Society...
Paley seldom quotes anyone- so it's hard to know what influences her thinking
outside of her own observations. But I'm thinking of her discussion of how four
year olds have to work out their stories in their play- different from her
experiences with five year olds. Also the serious role of play in emotional and
intellectual growth. And she also discusses the difference between how three
year olds play and how four year olds play.
I have approached play from a different angle as a fifth grade teacher. I
observed that fifth graders still enjoy playing and began to construct (with
their leadership) a simulated "town" in our classroom. Within our town we could
work on issues of government and democracy at the same time that we carried on
the business of reading, writing, math, science and social studies through our
town store, museum, library, publishing house, etc. It occured to me that these
"simulations" (can't tell anyone that fifth graders are "playing") are
"hands-on" social studies experiences.
In fact, most of the science experiences we provide in the classroom are
simulations of the real world-- simulated experiences. So while experiences
like field trips and community studies could provide first hand experiences,
simulations could provide second had experiences that were very real (that word
again!) to fifth graders.
But it was my observations of these 10 year olds, with their sophisticated
intellect and abilities, playing in the sandbox with their GIJOES during recess
that prompted me to consider what role "play" might have in an upper elementary
classroom.
Debi Goodman
73113.440 who-is-at compuserve.com