2. High-Quality Instruction – Birth Through Third Grade
A 2018 Roundtable Preconference Webinar
May 8, 2018

3. THIS WEBINAR IS BEING RECORDED
– the Webinar Recording and Slides will be uploaded on the Roundtable Website:
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4. 2018 ROUNDTABLE | www.ceelo.org/2018-roundtable
Getting Ready
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5. 2018 ROUNDTABLE | www.ceelo.org/2018-roundtable
TODAY’s AGENDA
Welcome and a bit about the Roundtable
Andres Bustamante on the benefits of play
Views from New York State and the Watertown City School District
Questions and Comments
2018 ROUNDTABLE |

6. A Prescription for play
Why play fosters social and cognitive development
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Ph.D. & Andres Bustamante, Ph.D.
Temple University
The Brookings Institution
Twitter: Kathy&Ro1
May, 2018

7. PLAY IS UBIQUITOUS!
CATS PLAY
DOGS PLAY
MONKEYS PLAY
OCTOPUS PLAY

8. It is a biological imperative…
Yet, play is under siege.
Zigler, 2004

9. what happened to play?
In 1981, a typical school-age child in the United States had 40% of her time open for play. By 1997, the time for play had shrunk to 25%.
What percentage is it down to now??

10. Recent research suggests that
In the last two decades children have lost 8 hours of free play per week
30,000 schools in the United States have eliminated recess to make time for more academic study.
Elkind, (2008) Greater Good
Photo - Tim Gill

11. New findings support the relative extinction of play
The Alliance for Childhood 2009 survey of 142 NY classrooms and 112 LA classrooms found that
25% of teachers had no time for play
61% of NY teachers have no choice time
79% of NY teachers do test preparation every day
Bassok et al., (2016) report that kindergarten really is the new first grade!
80% of teachers say K-garten children should be reading – up 50% from 1998
Time for arts? Down 16%
Testing? Up. 29% test children at least once a month

12. These issues and more prompted a response from from the American Academy of Pediatricians
In 2006 titled: The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds they wrote,
These guidelines are written in response to the multiple forces challenging play. The overriding premise is that play (or some available free time in the case of older children and adolescents) is essential to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth.
In 2012 they reaffirmed the position writing,
Play is essential to the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being of children beginning in early childhood. It is a natural tool for children to develop resiliency as they learn to cooperate, overcome challenges, and negotiate with others. Play also allows children to be creative.

13. A talk in 2 parts Defining play The advantages of play
Free play and guided play
The advantages of play
Play and coping
Play and social learning (executive function)
Play and cognition

14. A talk in 2 parts Defining play The advantages of play
Free play and guided play
The advantages of play
Play and coping
Play and social learning (executive function)
Play and cognition

15. Defining play FREE PLAY
whether with objects, fantasy and make believe, or physical, is 1) fun, 2) active 3) has no extrinsic goals, 4) interactive, 5) meaningful, 6) often, though not always, socially interactive, 7) can contain a certain element of make-believe
(Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2009; Garvey, 1977; Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, ; Christie & Johnsen, 1983;LEGO, 2017)

16. And Guided play
A planned play environment, enriched with objects/toys that provide experiential learning opportunities, infused with curricular content (Berger, 2008), Think Museums or Montessori classrooms.
Adults enhancing children’s exploration and learning through:
co-playing with children
intentional learning objectives
asking open-ended questions
suggesting ways to explore materials
Fisher et al., 2011; Hirsh-Pasek et al, 2009; Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, in press; Weisberg, Hirsh & Pasek & Golinkoff, 2015; Weisberg et al., 2016
11/8/2018

17. Together Free and Guided play = playful learning which has the following characteristics
From a white paper that just published with the LEGO Foundation, derived from Hirsh-Pasek, Zosh et al, 2015

18. Playful Learning Free Play Co-opted Play Guided Play
Direct Instruction
Child
Adult
Initiated By
Directed By
11/8/2018

19. And research suggests that play and playful learning enhances coping skills, social regulation (collaboration); language and literacy (communication); and STEM (content learning), and hypothesis testing (critical thinking), among others

20. A talk in 2 parts Defining play The advantages of play
Free play and guided play
The advantages of play
Play and coping
Play and social learning (executive function)
Play and cognition

21. Play and Coping
A review of literature involving pretend play in medical settings indicates that pretend play interventions are effective in inpatient and outpatient settings for preventing and reducing anxiety and distress. Pretend play also has effects on pain, externalizing behavior, and adaptation to chronic illness.
Moore & Russ, 2006
Further, play is related to:
emotion regulation that reduces stress (Frankel, 2009)
protective factors that improve well-being (Mazzeschi et al, 2008, Russ, 1998)
reduction of anger, stress, conflict (Haiat et al., 2003)
This is an area ripe for more research! (Capurso and Ragni, 2016)

22. The case of self-regulation?
Play and social regulation
Those all important executive function skills
Impulse and emotion control
Planning
Self-reliance
Socially responsible behavior
Attention
Memory
(Bronson, 2001; Kopp, 1991; Rothbart & Bates, 2006)

23. Tools of the Mind as a key example of playful learning

24. Free play Directed play Guided play
Our current research (with Dickinson and Golinkoff) is asking how playful learning can increase vocabulary in low income children!
Adult reads children a book like the Knight and the Dragon while highlighting new words (e.g., galloping, shield)
Photo from Sheryl Ann Crawford
No focus, dialogue; meaning-making; child initiated and directed
Free play
Targeted focus with more closed questions; adult initiated and directed, meaning-making
Directed play
Guided play
Targeted focus with more open ended questions; adult initiated, child directed, meaning-making

25. Results?
Adult supported play was better than free play in all conditions!
Book reading + adult supported play was also better than book reading plus fun flash cards!
Bottom line? When there is a learning goal – adult supported play (guided or directed) helps children learn!
Weisberg et al., 2015; Taub et al., in press

26. Then we asked whether game play might help readers learn vocabulary better than flashcards and – it did!
Hassinger-Das, Ridge, Golinkoff & Hirsh-Pasek, 2016
11/8/2018

27. In our research, we studied Block Play to ask if it might build better spatial language and math outcomes
Our questions:
Do we talk more about space when we play with blocks?
Result: YES In non-block play contexts, parents use only 3 to 6% of spatial terms
Do we talk more about space in certain play situations over others? (using words like above, on top of, beside…
Result: YES, there is more spatial language in guided play than in free play
Ferrara, Hirsh-Pasek, Newcombe & Golinkoff, 2011
11/8/2018

28. Why should we care? Because spatial language and spatial play relate…
2-D Test of Spatial Ability (TOSA)
to later spatial ability!
and later math ability!
3-D Test of Spatial Ability (TOSA)
Verdine, B., Golinkoff, R., Hirsh-Pasek, K, Newcombe, N., Filipowicz, A. & Chang, A. (2014); Verdine, Golinkoff, Hirsh-Pasek & Newcombe, 2017
11/8/2018

29. As another example in STEM, we looked at kiddy geometry and asked….
Whether guided play might be a better way to learn than direct instruction or free, exploratory play for learning shape concepts (triangles, rectangles, pentagons, hexagons)?
Fisher, K., Hirsh-Pasek, K, Newcombe, N & Golinkoff, R.M. (2013) Child Development

30. Three conditions were designed to teach children the criterial features of a shape…..
Guided Play: Children were taught rule-based classification systems for shapes in a playful, exploratory manner (they were “detectives” discovering the secret of the shapes)
Direct Instruction: Children were taught rule-based classification systems for shapes in a passive learning manner (children watched the experimenter act as a detective discovering the secret of the shapes)
Exploratory/Free Play: Children played with shape cut-outs (same as training cards) and wax sticks for approximately the same amount of time as the training conditions.
Guided Play:
For each shape category, an experimenter displayed four shape cards (2 typical, 2 atypical) and introduced the child to the shapes. Experimenters helped children ‘discover’ each shape’s features through questions and prompts.
Children created 2 novel shapes with wax sticks after learning each shape.
Direct Instruction:
For each shape category, an experimenter displayed four shapes cards (2 typical, 2 atypical) and introduced the child to the shaped (as above). However, the child listened to the experimenter ‘discover’ shape properties
Children watched the experimenter create 2 new shapes with wax sticks after learning each shape.

31. Shape Sorting Task Shape Cards:
40 cards, 10 per shape (3 typical, 3 atypical, 4 non-valid)
Procedure:
Children introduced to “Leelu the Picky Ladybug” who only liked REAL shapes.
She needed help sorting some shape cards she found (40 cards; 10 per shape).
‘Real’ shapes were placed in her ladybug box, while ‘fake’ shapes were thrown in a trashcan

32. They learn best in guided play!
Acceptance rates of typical, atypical, and non-valid shapes (sorted as ‘real shapes’) by group. NOTE: Adult data was not collected for this study. Data is presented for comparison only.
* p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001
*** * **
Typical Shapes: Guided Play > Direct Instruction = Exploratory Free Play
Atypical Shapes: Guided Play > Direct Instruction = Exploratory Free Play
Non-valid Shapes: Guided Play = Direct Instruction = Exploratory Free Play

33. Why might playful learning support learning? Some hypotheses
Big Idea 1: It involves “active, engaged, meaningful and socially interactive learning” and that is how humans learn best! (Chi, 2009; Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015)
Big Idea 2: Guided play is like “constrained tinkering” that lessens the “noise” and prioritizes some hypotheses over others. Offers a chance for hypothesis testing. (Parish-Morris et al., 2014; Tare et al., 2010; Uttal et al., 1997)
Big Idea 3: Guided play creates a mise en place or positive disposition for learning and exploration (Weisberg, Hirsh-Pasek, Golinkoff & McCandless, 2014; Weisberg, Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2016).
Big Idea 4: Playful learning is joyful and positive emotions help children learn!

34. Big Idea 5: Play allows us to build the suite of skills needed for success (the 6Cs)
Collaboration
Communication
Content
Critical Thinking
Creative Innovation
Confidence
LEVEL 4
Building it together
Tell a joint story
Expertise
Evidence
Vision
Dare to fail 3
Back and forth
Dialogue
Making connections
Opinions
Voice
Calculated risks 2
Side by side
Show and tell
Wide breadth/ Shallow understanding
Truths differ
Means-end
Where do I stand? 1
On my own
Raw emotion
Early learning/ Situation specific
Seeing is believing
Experimentation
Barrel on
11/8/2018
Golinkoff & Hirsh-Pasek, 2016

35. And these collective skills (what we call the 6Cs)
Form the foundation for learning
In Parenting and Education
Golinkoff & Hirsh-Pasek, 2016

36. In sum, it might just be time……
To write prescriptions for play!
Play helps us cope, socialize and learn.
Play is not the opposite of work. Rather, it encourages the skills that we will need for work.
Play is a biological imperative!
11/8/2018

37. Thanks to our funders
The most wonderful postdocs, graduate students and undergrads.
And to the families who make the research we do possible!
11/8/2018

38. Follow me: At the Huffington Post: http://www. huffingtonpost
Follow me: At the Huffington Post: The Brookings Institution: and on twitter
@kathyandro1
11/8/2018

39. New York’s Goals for the P-3 Continuum
Alignment with a clear path to embrace P-3 work
Connection of systems
Collaboration to develop P-3 plan
Introduction: Jane and Tina
Need for the project, our grantees were stable with their Pre-K and we were looking for a way to sustain the gains and provide support to districts
Kristie Kaurez’s tool was the planform for our project, began to brainstorm how we would develop a project for our grantees keeping with the scope of the PEG grant to pilot in a few districts, provide the supports and then begin to expand across the state.
We developed 3 goals:
Alignment with a clear path
Connection of current and developing systems
Collaboration within districts to create a district specific plan

40. P-3 Alignment Framework
We began by introducing the project to 4 PEG districts using the buckets from the Kaurez tool to guide districts on their P-3 path. It was intended that districts brainstorm and thing about each bucket but then choose 1-2 to place their immediate focus
Kauerz, K. and Coffman, J. (2013). Framework for Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating PreK-3rd Grade Approaches. Seattle, WA: College of Education, University of Washington.

41. New York State Office of Early Learning P-3 Continuum Project
What can leaders do to support P-3 initiatives that will improve quality?
Build their own professional knowledge of:
developmentally appropriate quality practices in the early childhood setting
early learning environment and how it supports instruction
authentic curriculum and instructional experiences to sustain growth
The Administrator’s role to create a P-3 culture within the district that includes:
Articulating that quality early learning is crucial
Valuing Prekindergarten and Kindergarten teachers as an equal part of the school community
Participating in P-3 professional development opportunities
…discuss how this connects with instructional quality
New York State Office of Early Learning P-3 Continuum Project

42. New York State Office of Early Learning P-3 Continuum Project
What can teachers do?
Collaborate and share data across grade levels
Ensure that education experiences are high quality and have been meaningfully aligned
Partner with families
Provide experiences that allow for active participation by the student in the learning process
Set up the environment to support children’s learning
Talking points:
working across grade levels to ensure assessment is meaningful from grade to grade
planning curriculum experiences that help build foundational knowledge while ensuring that practices are developmentally appropriate to the age of the students in the classroom and their learning needs
providing unique ways to partner with families……..apps, etc. focusing on building family connections that are meaningful (i.e. ensuring parents are partners from prekindergarten through 2nd grade)
provide opportunities in learning centers that allow students to engage with hands on materials that are connected to both the topic of study and the skills that students need to develop
provide an environment that is interesting to students, meets their needs, is interesting, and engages learning
New York State Office of Early Learning P-3 Continuum Project

43. New York State Office of Early Learning P-3 Continuum Project
Brainstorming Sheet
Introduction Day to the project: Districts brought a team of teachers, administrators and support staff to begin to implement the framework and develop a strategic plan that was specific to their district
We asked them to brainstorm on all topic areas before selecting the specific topics or areas they would focus on
New York State Office of Early Learning P-3 Continuum Project

44. New York State Office of Early Learning P-3 Continuum Project
Goal Planning Sheet
Once the specific areas were selected, we worked in district teams
The district teams were supported by an SED coach and their Quality Improvement Specialist
This allowed time for horizontal and vertical alignment supporting the vision of improving quality across P-3
New York State Office of Early Learning P-3 Continuum Project

45. New York State Office of Early Learning P-3 Continuum Project
Expectations
Develop focus goals/timeline to achieve those goals in one of the following areas:
Joint professional development P-3
Professional learning groups, faculty meeting mixed grouping
Family engagement focus, open houses collaboration with CBO partners
Transitions between each grade
Learning environments
Developmentally appropriate practice / instruction
Assessments
Teaching quality / leadership quality
Talking points:
Districts able to choose from the list of topics those that they want to focus on
Start small
Choose areas that were a priority- some overlapped because they were all in support of enhanced quality teaching and learning- you will hear some of these areas and how they overlapped later in the webinar when we hear from Watertown City Schools and their P-3 project
New York State Office of Early Learning P-3 Continuum Project

46. Based on research, the cone of learning demonstrates that students retain information when they are able to actually have a hands on experience with learning both content and skills
For example when learning about life cycles, teachers can read about it, show a diagram of a life cycle but when students have hands on experiences with models, puzzles and even real things like participating in a life cycle unit in plants where they plant and then observe what happens using an observation journal, they are more likely to remember what they learned

47. While developing their P-3 visions, districts were encouraged to read current research on instructional practices including play as an instructional strategy.
This chart is an example of Kyle Snow’s work on play and demonstrates that free play is very different then using play as an instructional strategy.
When children are given free play time to work in centers without adult interactions, they are discovering and building connections (blue rectangle)
When adults carefully plan for play experiences in learning centers by adding materials and activities that enrichen the experience, join in and guide play in those centers, then they ensure students are making meaningful connections, are building knowledge, and practicing skills through play based experiences.
We will listen to Watertown later in the webinar as they describe what this looks like in action.

48. References
New Jersey Department of Education First through third grade implementation guide located at:
The Path to Lifelong Success Begins With P-3 by: Kristie Kauerz

49. Administrator – Peg – Watertown City Schools
What led the district to piloting play based practice in the program?
BEFORE
8:30
in the morning

50. Visit to observe Purposeful Play in Action

51. Requirements for Four Year Old Federal Grant
Partnering with Mercy College and Zoila Morell, PHd Mercy College
Early Development Inventory
Kindergarten Teachers survey their students - Study
Dr. Morell revealed the survey results
WCSD not meeting students social/emotional or physical well- being needs of our kindergarteners

52. NOW
8:30
in the morning

53. Book Study Coach – Heather
This book is being recognized around the state as a strong tool for guiding Purposeful Play
WCSD has been recognized as a leader with this professional development

54. (little or no cost to the district)
Inexpensive cups and containers!
Restock Children’s
Play Areas
(little or no cost to the district)
Playsets out of recycled materials (assistance from older students for civic project)
Donations
Thrift store shopping
Percusion Study and Easel Work!
Bringing back play kitchens!

55. Units of Study Roll Outs
Water/Sand Table Supplies
Sports Study Supplies
Prizes for Studies found at Urban Mission Thrift Shop
Percussion Study Supplies

56. Teacher – Tracy - Kindergarten
What does the Purposeful
Play look like in Kindergarten?
Sand Table Exploration

57. Sorting at math station

58. How do you incorporate play into the Kindergarten Curriculum?
Basketball Letter Game
How do you incorporate play into the Kindergarten Curriculum?

59. Grocery Store Unit Checkout line at Rockstar Grocery
Third Graders Shopping!
Shopping at the store!

60. Percussion Unit Making Can Drums High School Band Students Visit
Sensory Station for Shakers
High School Band Students Visit
Playing Percussion Pizza

61. Teacher 2 – Renee – 1st grade
Why Purposeful Play?
I can draw today?????

62. Engineering Skills in Motion!
Play supports our Curriculum
Nutrition Study
Anti - Bullying
Book

63. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeef
Persuasive Writing in 1st Grade

64. Integrating Play in the First Grade Curriculum Science - Forces
Science Concepts in Action
Integrating Play in the
First Grade Curriculum
Science - Forces
Push and Pull
Social Studies - Symbols of our Country
American Flag with Blocks
Social Studies Symbolism

65. standard and non standard units
Measurement using
standard and non standard units
MATH!!!

66. Q & A
Please enter additional questions or comments in the question box in your dashboard

67. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING
As noted, today’s webinar has been recorded and the archive will be posted on roundtable under the pre-conference webinars tab.
You can also register under the same tab for the upcoming webinars:
Equitable Early Learning for All Children
Tuesday, May 15, 2018 – 3:00-4:30 Eastern
Advancing the Workforce Teaching Birth Through Third Grade
Wednesday, May 23, 2018 – 3:00-4:30 Eastern
2018 ROUNDTABLE |