"Could That Be Play?": Exploring Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of Play in Kindergarten

Autor/in	Rodriguez-Meehan, Melissa
Titel	"Could That Be Play?": Exploring Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of Play in Kindergarten
Quelle	In: Early Childhood Education Journal, 50 (2022) 8, S.1303-1316 (14 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Rodriguez-Meehan, Melissa)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1082-3301
DOI	10.1007/s10643-021-01257-3
Schlagwörter	Preservice Teachers; Student Teacher Attitudes; Kindergarten; Play; Student Experience; Teaching Experience; Misconceptions; Learning Processes; Child Development + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Spiel; Studienerfahrung; Missverständnis; Learning process; Lernprozess; Kindesentwicklung
Abstract	Play is a developmentally appropriate practice for young children and enhances children's holistic development. However, recent educational policies and pressure to focus on academic goals and high-stakes testing have resulted in an emphasis on teacher-directed instruction, minimizing play-based child directed experiences in kindergarten classrooms. Research indicates that pre-service teachers' (PSTs) perceptions about teaching affect their future pedagogy in the classroom, therefore this phenomenological study aimed to explore PSTs' perceptions of play in kindergarten as they reflected on early childhood play experiences and more recent student teaching experiences. Data were collected through interviews, artifact analysis, document analysis, and field notes. Interview responses were transcribed, interpreted, and coded into themes, aggregating the data into small categories of information. The data analysis revealed PSTs' widespread conceptualizations of play, including misconceptions. The findings suggest the PSTs' incomplete understanding of play may result in deprived authentic, valuable learning opportunities for children in kindergarten classrooms. The findings of this study should be considered by all educational stakeholders to ensure that PSTs develop a comprehensive understanding of play, identify the connection between play and learning, and understand how play supports all children's development, resulting in integration of play in kindergarten classrooms. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01