Question

Scenario

Jared and Shamal are playing in the block area building a tower. Jared takes the block away from Shamal and says, "This is mine!" Their early childhood educator comes over and says, "Wow, look at what you're building! Can you describe it to me?" The boys face her and begin to tell her about the building and how people will go to work in it. Their early childhood educator leaves the area and gets some people from the bucket in the corner. She gives them to the boys.

The boys begin to put the people all around the building and then say how they need a park. The early childhood educator comes over with green trees from housekeeping and sits and helps the boys put them out. The boys seemed finished and the early childhood educator decides to bring over some paper and pens to draw their building. She says, "You did such a great job, how about drawing your building, people, and trees so we can keep it after we have to clean up the blocks?" The boys sit down and draw their masterpiece!


How did the early childhood educator become involved? How did the involvement change the play experience? In what other ways could the early childhood educator have involved herself?

Answer 1

The educator became involved by observing the boys' play, asking questions, providing prompts, encouraging creativity, and helping them extend their play.

How is that so?

The early childhood educator's involvement changed the play experience in the following approaches:

• She helped the youths to continue their play. By wanting to know questions and providing prompts, she encouraged the children to keep construction and expanding their tower.
• She aided the boys to consider their play in new ways. By suggesting that they draw their construction, she helped bureaucracy to reflect on their invention and to make it more significant.
• She made the play happening more fun and engaging. The boys were upset to have her join in their play and they appeared to enjoy the supplementary materials that she supported.