Learning Through Play

In the early childhood program children learn better through the Montessori program method of play at a very early age. Teachers are well aware that an open-ended activity is a perfect way of free play. As stated on the You Tube Video, “To be defined as play the activity needs to be freely chosen by the child pleasurable not focus on an end result” (Child Care). Children learn about themselves and the environment around them. By the teacher creating open-ended activities children learn more effectively. They are able to retain what they are learning about people in different cultures and about themselves. Kids at this stage are like sponges they absorb everything around them. Having a well-trained teacher in the benefits of an early childhood education, the children have a better chance of becoming more creative and socially connected with other children. Teaching children through the Montessori method of play helps develop their language, cognitive and social-emotional abilities.
Before children start the early childhood program they are in the stage of woo and dada, this does not mean that they are calling out to anyone. They are trying to express themselves by babbling to you. The older they get the more they could express what is on their minds. According to Judy Herr, “ Children around the time they are 24 to 30 months they are to identify at least six body parts and say the names of each part” (145). Children are to able express themselves to the teacher, parents and siblings. At first parents are the only ones that could understand what the child is trying to say express, until they start going to school and the teacher al begins to understand their needs.
Children develop their language skills as they play in school or by interacting and sharing toys with other children. They are also learning new words with every day interaction with adults. There are times when a child gets into a little fight or arguments with the other children in class. When this happens the teacher has to intervene and help them figure out what is the issue is. Many times the children will come up with their own solution on the problem. In a situation like this children are using their language even though the teacher helps them to express in detail with open-ended questions.
In the early childhood program anyone could walk into one of the classrooms and see that all the toys are labeled with the name that identifies each object. The children are able visualize the name in their head with out realizing they are learning how to recognize the word. When reading to young children they are more exposed to new vocabulary. Asking open-ended questions help the children to use their little neurons in their brains to expand their memory. Think about it, children have been learning to speak since the moment they were born by hearing their parent’s talk to them.
Teaching the children to expand their cognitive ability through play is more effective. Children learn how to solve problems on their own. They may need the teachers to intervene to make sure they are not hurting each other. Teachers have to remember that children at this stage are more egocentric. They still have not developed their logical sense. They believe everyone sees everything like they do. According to the Book Working with Young Children, “Children at this stage still do not think logically. They are still egocentric as they have yet learned to see things from more that one-person perspective” (152). They want everything for themselves and they want everyone to see everything like they do. They find it really hard to share with others and letting them solve the problem may help them understand that they need to share. To help with this process children learn different ways on how to be creative by playing with each other or playing with children of different ages. Through play their cognitive learning expands their abilities to do puzzles without becoming frustrated. They are also able to recognize shapes color, number and their friends name by retaining it. When the teachers create a group activity they encourage the students to play together and help each other. They are more likely to show each other how to fix a toy or explain to them how to do it the right way. In this type of activity they are more likely to learn from each other.
An early childhood teacher teaches children how they should behave towards other children. Teaching them how to socialize with other kids around them is not easy, since they are not able to control themselves. In the article, Learning Through Play, “When children play with others it allows them to build a stronger bond between the parent and child” (Frobose). Children at this stage enjoy helping adults with any task or duties. The teachers assign different jobs to children in the classroom. They feel very special when given a chance to do something important for the class. This way they are learning how to show concern for the other children in different ways. Children love to get attention from people they do not know. They love being rewarded for what they do.
Even though the children are playing with each other in the supervision of the teacher, it does not mean it was truly organized by the teacher. They are learning to socialize more by playing house, mommy and daddy, also cooking and feeding the other children around them. When playing house they are starting to learn the gender differences. They start to recognize the differences between boys or girls. Through play children learn to share, negotiate and cooperate with the other children. Children begin to learn about the importance of the rule in playing with the other students. When they are engage in play the teachers may pass by and ask them open-ended questions to engage their little minds in a more advance stage of learning. Through play children learn to self-concept. When they are ask question about them, they will response back with their name or anything that they own. For example, you could ask them, what do you like doing? They might response with, “I like to play with my little sister or even their pet”. The teacher helps them to recognize their own names and how to start sharing their feeling. When a teacher shows love for the students and their parents it is setting good examples to students. Teachers are showing them that they should care about their friends and family. The children notice everything around them and they are capable of understanding that you care for them.
Engaging children into group activities teaches them that they need to have empathy for one another because it is very important in their emotional stage. When a child starts to show empathy to one another child they are developing emotionally. As stated in the article Learning Through Play, “Children feeling secure, safe, capable and successful they will gain significant characteristics of positive emotional health” (Frobose). The teachers are able to see when children are having difficulties expressing themselves and she might just help them by asking them questions. The teacher will then tell them what they might be feeling and letting them know that everything is okay. The child will then feel better and they are able to recognize the feeling if it happens again. They are able to feel more comfortable to talk to the teacher and their friends in class. When reading them a story during circle time and being able to see how the children love to pay attention to the teacher and others pay attention to their friends. Once the story is done, the teacher would ask them an open-ended question and they all want to respond at the same time. The teacher would have to ask them who thinks raised their hand first. At this point some are saying they did and others are shouting who they thought raised their hand first. The teacher has to speak to all of the children and figure out who was first to raise their hand even though the teacher knows who was first.
In traditional teaching, teacher’s shows discipline through their authority in the classroom. Teachers are very strict about their classroom rules. The teachers expect the children to sit still until they are done explaining the instructions for the activity being taught. They are the active role and set the direction of the rules for the activity. These teachers select all the material for the children and tell them what to do and what they expect from them as a group. The parents have to teach their children how to take care of themselves before they are enrolled in school. In traditional schools expects children to have the ability to care for themselves and their own needs prior to entering school. These schools also expect the children to have knowledge of basic language this way they would have the ability to express their needs.
On the contrary a Montessori teacher’s role in discipline is to let the children learn self-discipline by letting them self-select purposeful work. The children are able to choose what they want to play with. According to the article Inspire Kids with Enthusiasm not Homework, “Life is based on choice, so they learn to make their own decisions. They may decide and choose for themselves all the time” (McCarthy). Picking and choosing they are able to retain what they learn. The little neurons in their brain are connecting faster by giving them a change to use their imagination. The teachers are playing a more active role in teaching the children. They are aware of what the children need to success in understanding the needs of them.
The teachers build a classroom that is calm and in order, so the children could feel more comfortable to engage in play. They also encourage them for all their efforts. For example, when they put the books back after reading them or when they are playing with blocks and they clean up. When they are being nice to the other students they will tell them how nice they are behaving.
In conclusion, when an early childhood program offers the Montessori method of learning through play, the children will be more prepared to start pre-kindergarten. They will also become well prepare for all the changes in their life by being able to express them self. They are also more capable of using their imagination to the maximum to help them in their daily activities. Teaching children through play will help them develop their abilities to express themselves to others, the ability to retain what they learn and the ability to socialize with anyone in their life. As stated in the You Tube video, “Children expand their knowledge of the world through play” (Child Care). Teacher that believe children learn better through play are capable of making a difference in their little minds.

Works Cited
Child Care Resources MT. "Play Is Children's Work." YouTube.com. YouTube, 14 Nov. 2011. Web. 22 Nov. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR5pO_85fMk&list=WL&index=10>.
Frobose, Jane K. "Learning Through Play - a Child's Job." Learning Through Play - a Child's Job. Colorado State University Family and Consumer Education, Feb. 2008. Web. 22 Nov. 2014. <http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columncc/cc010309.html>.
Herr, Judy. "Chapter 6 Understanding Two-Three Years Olds." Working with Young Children. Tinley Park, IL: Goodheart-Willcox, 2012. 143-52. Print. Seventh Edition.
McCarthy, Colman. "Inspire kids with enthusiasm, not homework." National Catholic Reporter 09 Mar. 2007: 26. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.