Discuss how cultural values regarding play fit within Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model (Figure 1.3 in the text) and how it influences child development and play. Include at least one evidenced-based and developmentally appropriate strategy that can be used in the classroom to explain your thinking.

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  • Remember to look at the resources included in the recommended resources section of the course as well as further resources within our library.
  • Think about the diversity of the children you work with or will be working with.  Utilize an example here that will apply to your future work with children.
  • Think about in what ways the information from chapters three and four can be combined and integrated into a classroom or center.  Again, make your strategy and explanation meaningful to the diversity around you.
  • This is going to take knowledge of the various cultures of the children in your care. How ca you can that information?  Then, how will you incorporate your knowledge as a leader?
  • This is an open ended question because it is important that the conclusions you draw are meaningful to your career and future as a leader in the field.

Classroom Images and Play

“One of the most common elements of childhood across cultures is play” (Rettig, 1995, p.1). Have you ever wondered how can you incorporate meaningful play into yourwork with children that encompasses the different cultural backgrounds of your students? In this discussion, we will look at play around the world and discuss how we can encompass a global view of play in our work with young children. To begin, view the photo story below that shares some beautiful images of children around the world playing.

Play Around the World (Links to an external site.)

Next, choose one of the articles below to read:

  • Option 1: Perspectives of play in three nations: A comparative study in Japan, the United States, and Sweden (Links to an external site.)
  • Option 2: Play in the kindergarten: the case of Norway, Sweden, New Zealand and Japan
  • Option 3: Child and Mother Play in Three U.S. Cultural Groups: Comparisons and Associations

Initial Post: Based on your textbook, photo story, and article (from the table above), address the following:

  • Synthesize your view of play around the world using at least two scholarly sources.
  • Examine how different cultures view the role that play should have when it comes to the early childhood classroom by providing at least one example.
  • Discuss how cultural values regarding play fit within Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model (Figure 1.3 in the text) and how it influences child development and play. Include at least one evidenced-based and developmentally appropriate strategy that can be used in the classroom to explain your thinking.
  • Analyze how family involvement in play differs by culture and explain how can you support these differences as a leader in the field of early childhood education.
  • Explain at least two conclusions can you draw about the influences of culture and family support on children’s play.

References:

 

Cote, L. R., & Bornstein, M. H. (2009). Child and mother play in three U.S. cultural groups: Comparisons and associations (Links to an external site.). Journal Of Family Psychology, 23(3), 355-363. doi:10.1037/a0015399

· This article investigated child and mother play among South American Latino immigrants, Japanese immigrants, and European Americans in the United States

· Izumi-Taylor, S., Samuelsson, I. P., & Rogers, C. S. (2010). Perspectives of play in three nations: A comparative study in Japan, the United States, and Sweden (Links to an external site.). Early Childhood Research & Practice, 12(1). Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ889717.pdf

· This article discusses findings about differences and similarities in perspectives on play among early childhood educators in Japan, the United States, and Sweden

· Synodi, E. (2010). Play in the kindergarten: the case of Norway, Sweden, New Zealand and Japan. International Journal Of Early Years Education, 18(3), 185-200. doi:10.1080/09669760.2010.521299

This paper discusses the kindergarten curricula of Norway, Sweden, Japan and New Zealand in terms of whether they recommend or suggest teachers unify play and pedagogy by employing a pedagogy of play.

Rettig, M. (1995). Play and cultural diversity (Links to an external site.). The Journal of Educational Issue of Language Minority Students, 15. Retrieved from http://www.ncela.us/files/rcd/BE020476/Play_and_Cultural_Diversity.pdf

· This article looks at the relationship between play and cultural diversity

· Vandermaas-Peeler, M. (n.d.). Cultural variations in parental support of children’s play (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from www.wwu.edu/culture/Vandermaas-Peeler.htmnsertArticleCitationHere

· This article looks at the differences in how parents support play in different cultures

Describe the strategies you will utilize to transition from the interactive book reading (done in the video) to centers.

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  • The video is just here for an example of a lesson to get your minds thinking.  Don’t focus so much on the lesson itself, but rather what you will do to transition to an activity after reading a book to the class, or after singing a song, etc.  Again, the video is just an example lesson.
  • Chapter seven of the course text has some great strategies.  Also, check out the recommended resources in the course, because they too have some great strategies!
  • You can use examples that you have experienced or even ones that you anticipate could happen if you are not currently working with children. Again, chapter seven lists several.
  • The NAEYC article Planning Transitions to Prevent Challenging Behavior (Links to an external site.) is a useful resource for all sections of this discussion.

Transitions and Disruptions

Within a busy classroom there is a lot happening throughout the day. To accommodate the hustle and bustle, it is important that early childhood teachers plan effectively. While many teachers understand the importance of lesson planning, an often forgot about aspect of planning is the need to plan for transitions and disruptions. “Transitions are worth thinking about and managing well so that children can move as smoothly as possible from one activity to the next” (Weissman & Hendrick, 2014, p. 183).

For this discussion you will reflect on the video, Front Loading for English Language Learners (Links to an external site.) and discuss the possible disruptions and issues related to transitions that can occur as a result of this fun and engaging lesson. You will then develop a plan for how you will manage the transition between activities, as well as possible disruptions.

Initial Post: For this discussion, be sure to include the following:

  • Watch the video, Front Loading for English Language Learners (Links to an external site.). Imagine that after this interactive book reading, you need to transition your students into center-time.
  • Describe the strategies you will utilize to transition from the interactive book reading (done in the video) to centers.
    • What are at least three things you will need to take into consideration (i.e. behavioral concerns, classroom environment, children with special needs, etc,)?
    • What strategies will you use to ensure you have the children’s attention?
    • How will you incorporate movement into your transition plan?
  • Discuss some behavioral challenges or disruptions that might occur during transitions and your plan for dealing with those challenges.
  • What strategies will you utilize to effectively manage these challenges?
    • In what ways do your strategies support the notion of developmentally appropriate practice and the developmental needs of all children?
    • Support this portion of your plan with your text or one scholarly resource.

Resources:

Teaching Channel. (n.d.). Front loading for English language learners (Links to an external site.) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/vocabulary-english-language-learners

  • This video models a short English Language Learner lesson and is required for use in the
  • Please click here for a written transcript (Links to an external site.) to the video above.
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Feldman, J. R. (n.d.). Transition time tricks (Links to an external site.). Earlychildhood NEWS. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=309

  • This article provides some strategies that teachers can use to aide in transitioning from lesson to lesson, and is suggested.

Explain how using this rubric will encourage the 21st-century skill of collaboration. Support your explanation with scholarly or credible sources. (1 point)

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This week we have learned about incorporating play into the classroom and planning for disruptions and transitions in the classroom. These ideas are connected to the second pillar of becoming the Whole Teacher, incorporating developmentally appropriate practice. How will you know if the teachers you work with are able to effectively implement developmentally appropriate strategies in the classroom for play, transitions, and disruptions? One way to know for sure is to utilize a rubric as a tool for evaluating teachers and providing constructive feedback. Rubrics provide clarity regarding what is expected and therefore are commonly used tools for providing feedback in education.

Assignment Directions:

For this assignment, you will be creating a rubric that you will use to evaluate your staff based on how they are incorporating play into their classroom and how they handle transitions. Before creating your rubric, it is suggested that you read the article, “How to Create RubricsPreview the document” to ensure that you understand how to develop an effective rubric. You can create your rubric using a table in a Word document or by using the rubric generator Rubi Star (Links to an external site.). Your rubric must contain the following:

  • Performance Level Titles (.5 points): Includes four performance levels titles (emerging, progressing, partial mastery, mastery, etc.) to describe each characteristic.
  • Characteristics (.5 points): Includes at least five characteristics (skills, knowledge, or behaviors) to be rated on the rubric. Three of these characteristics must be related to play (see Figure 3.1 of text for ideas), one must be related to transitions, and one must be related to disruptions.
  • Performance Level Descriptors (2 points): Creates a performance level descriptor for each characteristic.

In addition to creating your rubric, address the following:

  • Defend your decision to include the characteristics you did on your rubric. Support your defense with current research. (1 point)
  • Explain how using this rubric will encourage the 21st-century skill of collaboration. Support your explanation with scholarly or credible sources. (1 point)
  • Summarize how you would use this rubric to foster the knowledge and skills of your staff regarding play in the classroom, transitions, and disruptions. Support your summary with scholarly or credible sources.   (1 point)
  • Explain how you might utilize this rubric to encourage self-reflection in your staff and ways in which self-reflection foster’s professional growth. Support your explanation with scholarly or credible sources. (1 point)

Research and Resource Expectations:

  • Source Requirement (.75 points): 
    • At least two scholarly peer-reviewed sources
    • At least one professional credible source

Writing and Formatting Expectations:

  • Title Page: Must include a separate title page with the following:
    • Title of paper
    • Student’s name
    • Course name and number
    • Instructor’s name
    • Date submitted
  • Academic Voice (.25 points): Academic voice is used (avoids casual language, limited use of “I”, it is declarative).
  • Purpose and Organization: (.25 points):  Demonstrates logical progression of ideas.
  • Syntax and Mechanics (.25 points): Writing displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
  • APA Formatting (.25 points): Papers are formatted properly and all sources are cited and referenced in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.).
  • Suggested Assignment Length (.25 points): This assignment should be three to four double-spaced pages in length (not including title and reference pages).

Resources:

MASD Instructional Technology. (2013, June 17). Create Awesome Rubrics using Rubistar (Links to an external site.) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vsxrKLeUeY

  • This video shows how to use the website RubiStar to create rubrics and will be helpful for you Week Three Assignment.

Website

Mueller, J. (2014). Rubrics (authentic assessment toolbox) (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/rubrics.htm

  • This website shares information about how to create a rubric. You might find it helpful as you work on your Week Three Assignment.

 

Brophy, T. (n.d.). Writing effective rubrics (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://assessment.aa.ufl.edu/Data/Sites/22/media/slo/writing_effective_rubrics_guide_v2.pdf

University of Connecticut. (n.d.). How to create rubrics (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://www.assessment.uconn.edu/docs/How_to_Create_Rubrics.pdf

Feldman, J. 2008. Transition time tricks (Links to an external site.). Earlychildhood NEWS. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=309

Rettig, M. (1995). Play and cultural diversity (Links to an external site.). The Journal of Educational Issue of Language Minority Students, 15. Retrieved from
http://www.ncela.us/files/rcd/BE020476/Play_and_Cultural_Diversity.pdf

Vandermaas-Peeler, M. (n.d.). Cultural variations in parental support of children’s play. Retrieved from www.wwu.edu/culture/Vandermaas-Peeler.htm

How to create rubrics. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://assessment.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1804/2016/06/How_to_Create_Rubrics.pdf

  • This article explains how to create effective rubrics and will be useful as you develop your rubric for the Week assignment.

Send me a memo that explains the two types of research and include brief explanations about the advantages and disadvantages of each as related to how they could be used by MM. I’d like to be able to speak intelligibly to this at the next board meeting.”

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Read the dialogue below. Within the Discussion Board area, write 400-600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

Michelle knows that MM needs to determine who the target customer is for the new product. She knows that marketing research needs to be done as part of this market segmentation and product development processes, but she is not well-acquainted with some of the details that are involved in the processes. She has stopped by your office to ask some questions.

“Thanks for canceling your other meeting this afternoon,” she says.“No problem,” you say. “I rescheduled my meeting with multimedia; it actually works out better for them, too.”
“I’ve heard about quantitative and qualitative research, but I’m not sure I really understand the difference between the two,” she begins. “I’m sure there are advantages and disadvantages to each of them, but without knowing, I’m not sure which type of research we need to conduct. What do you think?”
Before you can respond, Michelle’s cell phone vibrates.
“Excuse me, I have to take this,” she says.
Michelle takes her call and then stands up.
“Well, I’m sorry to do this, but I have an emergency that I have to deal with right now,” she says. “Would you do me a favor? Send me a memo that explains the two types of research and include brief explanations about the advantages and disadvantages of each as related to how they could be used by MM. I’d like to be able to speak intelligibly to this at the next board meeting.”
“Sure,” you respond, thinking that this will make for a pretty lengthy e-mail. “I’ll also include how each method can help us define our target market. Will that help?”
“Yes, great idea,” she replies.
“Ok! I’ll get that to you by close of business tomorrow,” you say.