9

TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM

more. Careful observations of children at play

usually reveal important information about

what they are able to accomplish at this stage in

their development, and what they are ready to

learn next. The role of the educator is to advance

children’s knowledge and thinking through adult-

guided activities during the play. An important

way to view this balance of support during play

was introduced by Ann S. Epstein in her resource

The Intentional Teacher: Choosing the Best Strategies

for Young Children’s Learning.

Play-Based Learning

As adults, we don’t often deconstruct play to

consider the various interconnecting physical,

emotional, and/ or intellectual demands of

the activity. Viewed superficially, play may

look, sound, and feel like nothing more than

disorganized, often noisy, fun. In fact, there is

more learning that happens in play than meets the

eye. Children problem-solve on multiple levels,

extend their own thinking or that of a friend,

decode social behaviours and expectations, and

Child-Guided Experiences + Adult-Guided Experiences = Optimal Learning

Children play in their zone of actual development

and push themselves to move to the next step

in their learning. They reinforce the skills they

have mastered through repetition and practice.

In this example, the children chose not to make a

shopping list for the store, possibly because it is

slightly too difficult for them to do independently.

The educator must decide whether her goal for

this group is to have them write independently,

using the strategies they have already developed.

First, the educator must determine what the

children know about writing and what they can

be expected to accomplish. If the task is too hard

or the children are not sufficiently motivated,

the educator may choose to leave that goal for

another opportunity (child focused), or to model

the task (educator directed) to show them what it

would look like. However, if the educator decides

this is an ideal guided learning opportunity, she

may choose to initiate the task from either the

(Adapted from Epstein, The Intentional Teacher. p.5)

Child Focused

Child-Guided

Adult-Guided

Educator Focused

Not entirely child-

controlled.

Educator is not

necessarily passive.

Generally follows the

interests and actions

of children, but with

strategic educator

support.

Generally follows the

goals of the educator, but

learning is also shaped by

the participation of the

children.

Not entirely educator

controlled.

Child is not passive.

The children in the home

centre choose to take the

dolls for a walk to the

grocery store.

The educator observes

that the children in the

home centre are going

grocery shopping and

suggests they write a list

of what they are going

to buy.

The educator joins in

the play at the home

centre. She suggests that

they should go grocery

shopping and that it is a

good idea to make a list

of what is needed.

Children in the home

centre tell the educator

that they want to make

a grocery list. They tell

the educator what they

wish to record and the

educator writes it for

them.

Possible Zone of Actual

Development.

Zone of Proximal Development.

Task is too difficult.