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Advocating for Play
February 25, 2022
If we give our children sound self-love, they will be able to deal with whatever life puts before them.
-bell hooks
-bell hooks
Last week we shared a story describing a recent study about state-funded Pre-K in Tennessee, showing negative results for children. An expert commenting on possible reasons for the disturbing results described “too much whole-group instruction, rigid behavioral controls, not enough time spent outside...” and said, “ideally Pre-K should involve more play.” This story has been getting a lot of press, and is being widely used as a cautionary tale about the importance of advocating for play in the early years.
Shawna Daniels, from Carrboro, NC wrote a thoughtful response to the article. You can find her complete comments here. These are a few excerpts:
“I know that even with all of the different translations of quality that are out there, State funded Pre-K is actually still a place that helps children from marginalized communities blossom…There have been just as many programs throughout the country that get state funded Pre-K right….
This one study and the context in which it is being amplified is troublesome at best. It creates a narrative that tells the often ECE ignorant world around us that more funding and support for our disjointed and crumbling ‘system’ wouldn’t benefit children anyway.
There are plenty of quality studies on other state-funded Pre-K programs, including the federal funded Head Start program, that have changed the social and academic trajectory of children, especially if they are placed in child-focused K-3 classrooms.
As ECE educators, we need to use the TN study and report as an example of what not to do and as confirmation that those of us who have been hyper-focused on creating child-focused language and social skill heavy, caring learning environments are on the right track.”
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Comments (3)
Displaying All 3 CommentsUnited States
Anastacia -thank you for sharing your experience. I appreciate the work you do!
Francis -great points! thank you for sharing.
-Tiffany at Exchange Press
Little Miss Muffet’s EHS
Modesto, CA, United States
Thank you for allowing your experience to help all of us. I too work with a combo program for early head start/childcare. We follow title 5 regs. By allowing your story to be told, you remind all of us that we are their advocate and when we know something isn’t working it is up to us to change it for them. Enough of the push down!
University of Phoenix/ Red Rocks Community College
Denver, Colorado, United States
This response to one study reminds me of the devasting impact of a "study" reported in the Lancet Medical Journal on a supposed connection between infant immunizations and autism spectrum disorder. I think maybe the message here is not about state funded programs or how we influence the general public about ECE, but rather about the use of studies to direct public opinion and policy. But I do I think this study is VERY helpful in recalibrating our approach to how we work with young children, especially for state-funded approaches.
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