EAS409-Play in Early Childhood

   Inclusive Play Assessment If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid. This powerful metaphor highlighted our week 13 session, perfectly shows the danger of "one-size-fits-all" education. Reflecting on our exploration of play assessment, I realized that assessment should not be a hurdle to clear, but a bridge to built.  The revelation that the word assessment stems from the Latin assidere meaning "to sit with," completely shifted my perspective. It suggests a collaborative, supportive and affirming relationship rather than a top-down judgement. In play-based settings, like those practiced at Rinpung ECCD, this means observing children's skills, behaviors and interactions within their natural play to identify strengths and challenges. It is about gathering information to provide meaningful educational and therapeutic not just assigning a grade.  I was particularly struck by the distinction between asse...

 Reimagining the Adult's Presence in Play I used to view playtime as a well-deserved break for both children and teachers. However, after attending the session on adults role in play has completely shifted my perspective. I've realized that we are not just supervisors, we are the " maker or breaker of quality play. " What we choose to do or not do determines whether a child's play environment thrives or fails.  One of the most aha moment was the concept of Continuum of Adult Roles. I previously thought that that staying out of the way was the hallmark of a good educator, but now I see that being " Uninvolved" is a precarious role that results in poor-quality, repetitive motor play. On the other hand, I've often caught myself acting as a redirector, interjecting academic reality into a beautiful moment of make-believe just to check for prior knowledge. Thus, I learned that the precarious habit must be avoided.  Instead, the goal is to inhabit facilita...