Re-Exploring Play and Playfulness in Early Childhood Teacher Education

This book comes from many play spaces – the most obvious being how the members of the Creativity and Play ResearchNet of NAECTE composed these 13 chapters from their lived experiences in virtual and actual classrooms with adults learning about teaching in classrooms and other learning environments with young children. But in fact it is the young child calling for this time of playful learning. “Enough with tests and certification exams, let’s play!” This text validates that appeal with fresh research and applications, all grounded in recent NAEYC position statements and pillars of the play research community, such as Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Walter Drew, Stuart Brown, Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld, and Vivan Paley. The variety of playful ways that learning can take place make this book a delightful text to read, and a powerful tool in the hands of early childhood teacher educators who are actually factually putting the book down and going out to play, with teachers and, through them, the children of their future classrooms. Josh Thompson Professor of Early Childhood Education Texas A & M University This book offers a rare combination of innovative approaches to play education and practical strategies to improve Early Childhood Teacher Education. Through hands-on play and rich narrative stories, this treasure book reveals how teacher educators are actively using intentional open-ended play experiences, reflection, journaling, and meaningful group discussion, to enlighten preservice teachers. Here is an exciting creative resource that will extend your understanding of the process and benefits that play encounters offer preservice teachers. For anyone interested in strengthening play leadership, overcoming challenges and barriers to play, and the application of play in early childhood classrooms or college education, this book is for you. “Re-Exploring Play and Playfulness in Early Childhood Teacher Education” is a compelling extension of earlier play research that updates the practice of hands-on play education with adults. You will value the wisdom offered by these authors. Walter F. Drew, Ed.D., Co-founder Institute for Self Active Education