Holly Delgado, in her article that forms the basis for a brand new Out of the Box Training from Exchange Press, “Translating Play-Based Learning for Families,” writes:
“When early childhood programs provide families with a lens through which they can see the teaching and learning process in action and intentionally make connections between play and learning outcomes, families will begin to understand that play IS learning.”
In an article in NAEYC’s Teaching Young Children called “Learning Stories”, Judi Pack notes, “A story is powerful and meaningful to families and can often communicate more than a number, a score, or a checklist of skills. Because the story is written to the children, it’s both easy for teachers to write and easy for families to understand. Teachers become observers and story writers while reflecting on children’s actions and words. The story is always a positive one about children’s strengths, good ideas, and dispositions for learning.” Pack goes on to suggest that learning stories work especially well for sharing child-initiated play which is sustained and intentional, demonstrates an interesting relationship between the child and others or the materials, and reveals something about the child’s way of learning.
Often, though, families are more familiar with conventional academic approaches to education. In such situations, it’s especially critical to share assessments and observations in ways that help families see play as a primary pathway to learning. The new Out of the Box Training provides strategies for helping educators effectively share these kinds of observations with families.
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