For Your Binder

You can access the articles within The American Journal of Play free online or pay a nominal fee and have the journal mailed to you. The journal started in 2008 and is a scholarly yet accessible resource for your next college paper, deep dive into a specific interest area, or to show the wolves that, Yes Virginia, we are a scholarly profession!  And BONUS!  There is a search function within the journal section so you can drill down and get exactly what you were looking for! #play #teaching #learning #DAP

Here's the backstory: The author, John Taylor, is a retired superintendent of schools in Lancaster, S.C., he offered this history about the essay he wrote while leading that district:  

The parody was originally titled "Absolutely the Best Dentists."  It was written and sent to every newspaper and legislator in South Carolina a number of years ago in an attempt to point out the absurdities inherent in South Carolina's then new accountability act which was focused on absolute performance and threatened retention for every child who couldn't meet very challenging grade level standards. (Not to mention severe penalties for "poorly performing" schools, teachers and administrators.) Since then it has traveled widely to the point that I have not been able to keep up with the uses; but I know it has appeared in teacher association publications in at least three Canadian Provinces and in Australia, as well as dozens in the USA. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) seems to have given the story a new life.  Thus: No Dentist Left Behind.

#pushdown #DAP #play #teaching #learning

Nurture the soil, and the seed grows fully with little attention. Neglect the soil, and the seed’s development is compromised at every step.  #play #DAP #teaching #learning #parenting

This is a bit lengthy and quite dated.  Of Note: there is no publication date provided, but it references stats from the 1990s so while I wouldn't advise quoting the numbers, the general overarching premise is timely: the wildest colts make the best horses.  Are we medicating to truly assist? Or to increase compliance within a broken system?  #teaching #learning #DAP #movement

A good synopsis! #DAP #play #teaching #learning #parenting

Lisa uses Howard Gardner's existing framework as a platform to stretch ourselves out of our comfort zones to make sure our classrooms are making room for everyone - not just the kids we like.  #handouts #teaching #learning #DAP #theorists

Missed the workshop? Want to watch it again? Got a DVD player? Lisa has DVDs of all her workshops! #oldschool  

There is no evidence that teaching children to read in PreK will help them be better readers in the long-run.  So how and when did we start thinking that it would? #play #pushdown #DAP #teaching #learning #reading

For very young children, art and early writing skills are one and the same. But this changes over time! This article provides an easy to read overview of the early stages of writing and scribbling.  It also provides user friendly trips on how to encourage creativity while at the same time assisting children in learning that words are powerful and have meaning! #reading #writing #DAP #scribbling #creativity #teaching #learning

Worth the cost of the ink to print out all 140 pages!  From page 11:

This playbook aims to give readers:

• insight into gaps and issues inherent in thinking about inclusive playground design and practice

• insight into how inclusive playgrounds and their surroundings are experienced together

• potential strategies that will contribute to project discussions, designs, budgets, and more

• a depth and breadth of ‘how to’ guidance for designing inclusive playgrounds

• ways to ensure that any inclusively designed playground and its surrounding environment are accessible and welcoming to children with disabilities and their families

#play #inclusion #accessibility #equity #environment #recess #playgrounds #DAP #movement #outside #teaching #learning

Play and learning are deeply intertwined. Like yin and yang, play and learning are not only complementary, they are additive, the sum is always greater than their parts. #play #pushdown #DAP #learning 

I am including this document as it presents some names that are not typically included in a "basic intro to the theorists" resource; and I liked that. #DAP #teaching #learning #theorists 

Another opportunity to (re)consider what we mean by readiness.  #DAP #pushdown #play #teaching #learning