Guided Play Principles and Practices, Pre-K to 3

Karen DuBois-Garofalo is the Playful Learning Project director/coach at the University of New Hampshire.Jennifer Berube is a coach, educator, and researcher in play pedagogy and teacher well-being.Sarah Bond is an educator, coach, and consultant in early learning, leadership, and systems design.

• ContentsForeword  viiAcknowledgments  xiIntroduction  1A Legislative Action  2Our Coaching Solution  3Developing a Framework  5The Book’s Structure  101.  The Science of Playful Learning  12Making the Case for Play  13The Science of How Children Learn  15Putting the Science of Play Into Practice  24Conclusion  272.  A Three-Part Framework for Implementing Guided Play  28The Structure of the Guided Play Framework  28Conclusion  443.  The Art of Guided Play  46A Philosophical Shift  47The Role of the Environment as the “Third Teacher”  50Defining Teachers’ Roles as Facilitators of Guided Play  65Conclusion: Trust the Process, Transform the Practice  744.  The Critical Role of Reflection  75Guided Play Facilitator as a Reflective Practitioner  76The Role of Reflection in Learning  79Reflection Within the Guided Play Framework  80Strategies for Reflecting With Children  81Conclusion: Building a Reflective Learning Community  895.  Documentation of Learning Through Guided Play  90Documentation Is a Reflective Process  90The Documentation Cycle  91Documentation as Assessment  101Integrating the Documentation Process Within the Guided Play Framework  102Documentation as a Tool for Advocacy  108Conclusion  1086.  Advocating for Play-Based Learning: Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers  110Why Advocacy Matters Now  111Understanding Your Context and Audiences  112Navigating Common Barriers: The Barriers and Bridges Framework  116Advocacy Tools and Approaches  119Reflecting on the Advocacy Landscape: A Holistic Perspective  129When Advocacy Faces Challenges: Adapting and Persevering  129Conclusion: The Ripple Effect of Play Advocacy  131Appendices: Guided Play Resources and Templates  133Appendix A: Getting Started With Guided Play Template: A 4-Week Implementation Guide for Teachers  134Appendix B: Integrating Guided Play Into the Day and Sample Daily Schedule  140Appendix C: Supporting All Learners Through Guided Play: A Resource for Children Who Are Multilingual Learners, Children With Disabilities, and Children With Diverse Learning Needs  142Appendix D: Open-Ended Questions for Guided Play  148Appendix E: Documentation Presentation Strategies: Documentation “Panel”  150Appendix F: Documentation Presentation Strategies: Digital Documentation  151Appendix G: Documentation Presentation Strategies: Interactive Documentation  152Appendix H: Documentation Analysis and Responsive Action Templates  153Appendix I: Documentation Linking Play to Standards Template  158Appendix J: Classroom Observation Guide for Play-Based Learning  163Appendix K: Communication Templates for Playful Learning Advocacy  173Appendix L: Sample Playful Learning Standards Crosswalk for Kindergarten  184Appendix M: (Play Invitation) Crosswalk—Blank Template  194References  195Index  203About the Authors  212