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katessarosen-blog · 4 years

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Don’t teach off of worksheets

(This photo is showing how worksheets are killing education found at http://chasingsupermom.com/2015/05/how-worksheets-are-killing-education/)

Trust me, I know it is simple to give out worksheets and grade them, but they are not always the best teaching tool. Yeah, they are useful when you need to see where a child stands with their knowledge, but some students aren’t good “test-takers.”

When you teach students off of worksheets, you are teaching them how to pass a test; you aren’t teaching them how to think for themselves. When a child plays, they learn how to solve issues on their own; they develop problem-solving skills that they will have for the rest of their life.

Worksheets also takes away all creativity in the classroom. By handing a student a piece of paper and telling them to fill it out, there isn’t room for creativity. Worksheets usually have a right or wrong answer, no creative possibility there.

Children become more like a machine than a child. They do the same thing that everyone else is doing in the same way everyone else is, at the same time as everyone else. Not to mention, every student learns in different ways. Just lecturing and then handing out a worksheet might not be the best way for that child to learn.

When a child plays make-believe, they are showing their imagination and developing a creative side. For example, when playing a restaurant, they have to create a menu that is the child being creative, and their setting prices allows them to work on their numbers and math skills. Then they have to take peoples orders which will enable them to develop more communication skills.

Then they have to cook, which allows them to create a process of doing things and following the same steps (children usually do things in the same way they did it before), they are also are developing rules. When another child comes up to them playing, they will explain how they are playing the games, which means the other child has to follow the rules, and by creating those rules and guidelines to the game, children are working on their cognitive development.

By playing games like house, restaurant, kitchen, cooking, race car driver, and so much more, children are developing confidence in themselves. They can feel grown-up and responsible, which helps in improving their self-esteem. When other students suggest games or new ways to build something and the other children like that idea, they give compliments, which helps them to develop the ability to build others up and encourage new ideas.

Resources

https://learningthroughexperiences.com/worksheets-are-not-appropriate/

https://empoweredparents.co/preschool-worksheets/

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katessarosen-blog · 4 years

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Parents need to play with kids

( This is a photo of parents playing blocks with their kids found at https://www.google.com/imgresimgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.istockphoto.com)

There are many benefits to children and parents sitting down and playing together. It starts when they are babies and never really goes away. Playing with your kids is just as important when they are older, as it is when they are babies; they still need you to teach them.

Parents playing with their children allow kids to develop strong bonds with their parents. This is the first relationship children learn to have; they base all other relationships off of this. By playing with your child and their toys, you can teach them many skills in life; you wouldn’t be able to if you weren’t playing.

The parent is also able to see how the child learns and can relate to them. Parents have a lot of skills to teach their children through play. Yes, all play is beneficial to children playing with their parents is more useful to their learning.

Who is the first person to play with your child? You are, so whatever way you talk to your child during play is what they are going to copy and say another kid during play. You are demonstrating to them how to play and communicate with others.

Playing with your kid gives your child a role model, helps them to develop communication skills they will have for the rest of their life. You teach them how to be fair, how to share their toys, and how to be patient. You are demonstrating to your child how to win and lose and take turns.

Sure they learn from playing with other kids, but kids don’t know as much as the parent. The parent is also able to teach them how to be more open-minded, kids sometimes see things and immediately don’t want to do them because they look scary; a parent can show them that not all things are scary and to try new things. A parent can also help the child be more creative and show them ways to build blocks, or forts and give them ideas to games or play that the child hasn’t thought of yet.

Resources

https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/child-development/play-work-of-children/pl5/#gs.4a5nhp

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/why-children-need-to-play-with-their-parents-012716.html

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katessarosen-blog · 4 years

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Kids need recess

(This is a photo of children playing tag at recess, found at https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/friendship-childhood-leisure-people-concept-group-485661658)

Children need to have recess in school. When I was in elementary school, we had recess now a day’s schools are starting not to allow recess. With the no child left behind act of 2002, schools now have students who need more help to stay in for recess instead of going out and playing.

The no child left behind act is good in the sense that it set out to help children from failing subjects and getting left behind. However, now that there has been enough time, and we can see how well this act has worked, it has proven not to be beneficial.

Studies show that kids need a break in the day to go outside and play. Not only does playing give the student and the teacher a break, but it can also help the fight in child obesity. By playing outside during recess, kids are getting exercise and learning healthy habits.

Some of the benefits of recess are that when the child comes back into the classroom, they are less fidgety because they were able to play and get some energy out. That also means that they are more focused when they come back into the classroom, so they are more likely to learn.

Once the students get energy out, they can retain more information, which helps with good grades.

Recess allows students and teachers to have a reset. If the day has been long or rough, students and teachers can go outside. They get to clear their head before coming back inside, ready to take on the rest of the day, which in all helps their learning abilities.

By having some students stay inside (due to bad grades and the no child left behind act) during recess, those children are feeling “left behind.” All their friends are outside playing, and they are not. Those students are already having trouble focusing by not allowing them to go out and play; they do not get a break in the day to reset their brain, which in return hurts their grades more because they are not focusing.

No kid should have to stay inside during recess. Recess is the time for kids to be kids during the long busy day. It has health benefits and allows the child to come back into the classroom, ready to learn.

Resources

http://heartinsight.heart.org/Fall-2016/Kids-Need-Recess/

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katessarosen-blog · 4 years

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Stages of play

If you are like me, you didn’t know that there are different stages of play. There are six different stages of play. Each stage teaches the child new things starting when they are born.

The first stage is unoccupied play, and this type of play is from birth to 3 months. Unoccupied play is when the baby is just starting to move their arms and legs. During this stage, the child is discovering their body and how it works. Some people don’t consider this a stage of play since the child is just moving their body.

(This is a photo of a baby playing with their feet found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/cindygannon/6655948051)

The second stage of play is solitary play; this stage is also from birth but goes to the age of 2. Solitary play is when the child is playing on their own. They play with their toys and not with the other kids.

(This is a picture of a baby playing with blocks alone found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/cindygannon/6655948051)

The third stage of play is spectator play or onlooker behavior; this stage is around two years of age. Spectator play is when the child begins to watch the other children playing around them but doesn’t play with the others quite yet.

(This is a photo of a kid watching another kid play, found at dreamstime.com)

The fourth stage is parallel play; this stage is for children two and older. This stage is when children play next to each other but are still not playing with each other. An example would be two children both playing with blocks next to each other, but are not playing with the blocks together.

(This is a picture of two kids playing next to each other found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_play)

The fifth stage is Associate play, and this stage is for 3 to 4-year-olds. Associate play is when children start to interact with each other. In this stage, there still isn’t a lot of interaction. Kids can be playing with the same objects next to each other.

(This is a picture of two kids playing are two kids playing with blocks right next to each other, found at shutterstock.com)

The sixth and final stage is cooperative play, and this stage is for children four and older. Cooperative play is when the children finally start to play with each other.

(This photo is kids playing tug of war all playing together found at istock.com) Resource https://pathways.org/kids-learn-play-6-stages-play-development/

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katessarosen-blog · 4 years

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Teaching through play

(This is a photo of me and my niece Kailey that I took while on a walk.)

I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as a can remember, and I am currently enrolled in teaching classes. One big debate in the elementary teaching world is whether or not teachers should allow their students to learn through play, or learn through worksheets. I think teachers should teach through play.

I choose this topic because as an up incoming grade school teacher I need to know about all the different teaching techniques. I also wanted to write this blog to inform others on this topic because some might be parents or know parents and I think this is good, interesting information to learn about.

Before taking this class I had no idea what learning through play was. I assume that many others don’t know what it is either. My goal when writing this I hope to help others learn about this subject too.

You might be asking what is learning through play? Learning through play is when a child learns from the activities they are doing. Play is a broad word, but it’s what you think, it is just simply playing.

Through this blog, I plan on teaching others what the different stages of play are. The different ways play benefits others, how they learn through play. Also, I will be talking about why recess is important for kids in school.

Kids have been playing since the beginning of time and learning from it. Why would we change the way things are and try to teach them off of paper rather than play?

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katessarosen-blog · 4 years

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MacQuacken Farm

Close Range: Springtime brings new life and things to do at the MacQuaken farm. Between new chicks, baby sheep being born, and trail rides with horses, there is so much to do.