08/03/2013
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Teachers of young children as homo ludensElly Singer
BECERA 2013
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The believe in play as an educational tool has become so dominant in research and practice that we tend to forget the playing child.
Sutton-Smith, The Ambiguity of Play , 1997
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First and foremost all play is a voluntary activity.
Child and animal play because they enjoy playing, and therein precisely lies their freedom.
Huizinga, Homo Ludens, 1938
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Play is an essential quality in early
childhood education
5Excitement 6Surprise
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IInvolvement
8Fun
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Togetherness10
We do not play because of some
benefit that is more valuable then
play itself.
Huizinga, Homo Ludens, 1938
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Players create a rhythm and
‘magic circle’
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2-year-olds playing peek oeboo
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Totally involved
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The point of logic, as traditionally construed, is to establish unambiguous canons of correct reasoning.
In contrast, the fundamental aim of play is the modulation of the player’s experience
Rodriguez, The playful and the serious, 2006
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Adult’s play has fixed
boundaries in time and space
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No No Sing Song
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Play is:
•Play is valuable in its own right
(subjective experience of fun)
•Play is voluntary and free
•Play has structure, rules and rhythms
(magic circle, being in relationships)
•Play modulates experiences (not determined by logic and laws of nature)
•Play has boundaries in space and time
(outside ordinary life)
•Play is an original wellspring of culture
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The baby leads the dance of
intersubjectivity
(Bruner et al. 1969)
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Infant and family members start
playing rhythmic body games, and
enjoy music, songs and dancing which
becomes part of the fun of their life
together. They negotiate the invented
life of meaning.
Travarthen, 2011
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When behavioral flexibility is
important to an animal it is likely that
some mechanisms would evolve that
promote learning the vagaries of a
changeable environment. Play is one
of those mechanisms.
Bjorklund, 2007
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Exploring balance and law of gravity
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Perhaps it [play] is especially
influential in refining our frontal
cortical, executive networks that
allow us to more effectively
appreciate social nuances and
develop better social strategies.
Panksepp, 2010
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Fine tuned conflicts strategies
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The more regulated by artificial rules
of procedure and laws, the less it
[society] credits the innate
endowment of all children for positive
contribution to society.
Trevarthen 2011
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25 26
27 28
Thin lines between pretend and serious activities
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Children hear daily many don’t’s
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Scaffolding feeding the baby
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Tea for your friend
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•Pedagogues take care of boundaries
•Play connects peers and pedagogues
•Play is magic
•Play brings togetherness
•Discipline by flexible routines, rituals,
songs, humor and interest in children’s
play
•Playful attitude during the caring
activities and ‘work’
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Magic and shared attention
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Being nearby and involved:
high level of play engagement
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The teacher nearby, walking or at distance:
effects on play engagement
Low, moderate or good Level of play engagement
in 2- and 3-year olds during free play
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Playfulness bridges the differences in
power and responsibilities between
pedagogues and young children
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Singing and dancing together
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Teachers of young children
are
HOMO LUDENS