Play vs. Academics: Finding the Balance

It sat in my son's closet for years. I remember watching my children play with it at our dining room table when they were younger, but it had long been forgotten by them. On a whim, I brought the plastic marble run to my classroom and set it out at our classroom makerspace. I would be gone the first two days after Christmas vacation--returning from a family trip to Mexico, and I wanted something novel for the students to explore in my absence.

After returning to the classroom, I found myself sitting at my teacher table during Discovery Time. It is nearing the end of the semester, and I was knee deep in assessments. The students in my classroom know that during Discovery Time, they may use one of three voice levels: Zero, which is no voice at all; one, which is a whisper voice; or a quiet two, which is a quiet talking voice. This system allows me to work with students at my table without interruption. However, today, it wasn't working. I silently berated my substitute, who no doubt let them talk freely while I was gone. Now I would have to retrain them...

My eye caught a frenzied movement from over near the makerspace area. Looking up from assessing the student I was working with, I noticed a boy jumping up and down in excitement. I stopped what I was doing and watched. The first thing I noticed was the near constant chatter. These students were fired up! Small groups, ranging from 1 to 4 students each, were busily constructing marble runs of various shapes and sizes. They were figuring out what worked and what didn't. They were making adjustments and trying again. They were arguing with one another about what to try next, and then working together to follow the plan of one or a compromised plan of a few. They were playing. They were learning. They were happy.

I soon returned to assessing various students and was thrilled to discover how much growth they had made since I last assessed them in November. I wasn't the only one, however. The students I was working with were proud of themselves when they realized how much they had accomplished. As I listened to students read during a benchmark assessment, I could see the excitement and pride in their faces as they discussed stories they had read. They were learning. They were happy.

As a teacher of young children, I often find myself worrying about what is developmentally appropriate. I worry that children these days are not given enough time to play. As I see what appears to be an increase in disruptive behaviors from year to year, I worry that children are not learning to work with others or to problem solve because they are not allowed to play, make mistakes and solve problems with their peers. 

So I let them play. Twice a day, for 45 to 60 minutes, my students have Discovery Time. Sometimes I worry that it is too long, that the students are missing out on important academic learning time, that they won't measure up when the year is over. Then, I remember balance. I remember that, while they are playing, I am engaging in valuable teaching time with small groups of learners--and those students are learning.  Sometimes, I don't even know how they are learning as much as they are. After all, I am not focusing all of my time on academics. I am not pushing them to learn more or placing worksheet after worksheet in front of them in an effort to "close the gap." 

These are the times I wonder: How does this happen? Then, I remember balance. The children are learning because they have found balance between play and learning. Because they are having their need for play met, their minds are open and eager to learn. After all, playing is learning. They are happy, and research shows that happy children learn better. 

It is still hard to let go of the doubt, however. I know there are children who will not meet every academic standard by the end of kindergarten. They are simply not developmentally ready to do so. Shoving more academics down their throats will not get them there faster. Time, maturity and brain development will get them there. I have learned to accept this, though it is difficult. I know these children need to play, and I cannot tip that balance.

As I was lying on the beach in Mexico, I was so relaxed I couldn't imagine ever going back home. Not once did I think of school, which is rare for me. I returned to school energized and ready to tackle the remainder of the year. I had found time to play, and it made all the difference...