Creative Expression and Play in Early Childhood

by Isenberg, Joan Packer; Jalongo, Mary Renck R.

• ISBN13: 9780130873088
• ISBN10: 013087308X
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

This popular book provides novice and experienced early childhood teachers and caregivers with the roles, responsibilities, and strategies that lead to a more child-centered, play-based curriculum--to nurture children's creative expression in all of its forms. It shows how to foster learning and growth by integrating children's creativity and play into the curriculum. The authors treat play and creative expression as the cornerstones of a child-centered classroom through foundational chapters on creativity, play, and the arts. The book also contains three unique chapters on the traditional treatment of creativity and play--assessment, guidance, and families. For teachers, parents, and any other adults involved in the early development of children.

Table of Contents

Part 1 The Young Child: Developing Flexible and Divergent Thinking	1	(95)
Creativity and the Young Child	2	(48)
Teachers' Reflections on Creativity	3	(1)
Case Study: Excerpts from a Teacher's Notebook	4	(1)
Theoretical and Research Base: Defining Creativity	5	(18)
Criteria for Creativity	6	(3)
Creativity During Early Childhood	9	(5)
Modes of Thinking	14	(1)
The Theory of Multiple Intelligences	15	(5)
Stages in the Creative Process	20	(3)
Identifying Creativity	23	(7)
Children's Creative Abilities	23	(3)
Reggio Emilia: Nurturing Creativity	26	(4)
Unlocking Creative Potential	30	(2)
Psychological Safety	30	(1)
Psychological Freedom	31	(1)
Social Support	31	(1)
Creativity and Education	32	(6)
Schools That Nurture Creativity	34	(4)
Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities in Promoting Creative Expression	38	(2)
Practical Applications for Your Classroom	40	(10)
Experiences to Support Cultural and Ethnic Diversity	41	(1)
Experiences to Support Inclusion	42	(1)
Adaptations for Individual Learners	42	(8)
Play and the Young Child	50	(45)
Teachers' Reflections on Play	51	(1)
Case Study: Restaurant Play	52	(1)
Theoretical and Research Base: What Is Play?	53	(6)
Characteristics of Play	53	(3)
Controversies Surrounding Play	56	(1)
The Educational Role of Play	57	(2)
Why Is Play Important?	59	(10)
Cognitive Development	59	(2)
Language Development	61	(1)
Literacy Development	62	(3)
Social and Emotional Development	65	(3)
Physical Development	68	(1)
Creative Development	68	(1)
How Does Play Develop?	69	(10)
Developmental Stages of Cognitive Play	70	(7)
Developmental Stages of Social Play	77	(2)
Why Do Children Play?	79	(2)
Classical Theories	79	(1)
Modern Theories	80	(1)
Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities	81	(4)
Why Should Teachers Intervene in Children's Play?	82	(1)
When Should Teachers Intervene in Children's Play?	82	(1)
What Are Teachers' Roles in Children's Play?	82	(3)
Practical Applications for Your Classroom	85	(10)
Experiences to Support Cultural and Ethnic Diversity	85	(1)
Experiences to Support Inclusion	86	(1)
Adaptations for Individual Learners	87	(8)
Part 2 The Creative Arts Curriculum	95	(152)
Art in the Early Childhood Curriculum	96	(59)
Teachers' Reflections on Art	97	(1)
Case Study: Four Teachers' Ideas about Art	98	(1)
Theoretical and Research Base: What Is Art and Aesthetic Experience?	99	(5)
How Children Learn Through Art	104	(4)
Process As Well As Product	106	(1)
Orginality Rather Than Conformity	106	(1)
Children Retain Ownership	107	(1)
An Appreciation for Mixtures and Balances	108	(1)
Critical Issues in Teaching Art	108	(4)
Providing a Safe and Healthy Art Environment	108	(1)
Selecting and Presenting Materials and Experiences	108	(4)
Evaluating Materials and Experiences	112	(1)
Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities	112	(25)
Establishing Rules and Limits	122	(1)
Talking with Children about Their Art	122	(3)
Developing Concepts and a Vocabulary of Art	125	(1)
Ways of Discussing Art	126	(2)
Locating Resources and Storing Materials	128	(6)
Displaying Children's Art	134	(3)
Learner-Centered Art Experiences	137	(2)
Paper	137	(1)
Sculpture and Pottery	138	(1)
Fabric	138	(1)
Integrating Art into the Subject Areas	139	(5)
Media and Technology	139	(1)
Mathematics and Science	139	(4)
Language, Literacy, and Art	143	(1)
Social Studies, Health, and Nutrition	143	(1)
Practical Applications for Your Classroom	144	(11)
Experiences to Support Cultural and Ethnic Diversity	144	(1)
Experiences to Support Inclusion	145	(1)
Adaptations for Individual Learners	146	(9)
Music and Movement in the Early Childhood Curriculum	155	(46)
Teachers' Reflections on Music and Movement	156	(1)
Case Study: Raphael	157	(1)
Music, Movement, and the Young Child	158	(1)
Theoretical and Research Base: What Is Music and Movement?	158	(3)
The Educational Role of Music and Movement	161	(2)
The Educational Value of Music and Movement	163	(4)
How Do Music and Movement Develop?	167	(3)
The Music-Movement Connection	170	(1)
Critical Issues in Teaching Music and Movement	170	(14)
Identifying Appropriate Content	171	(3)
Providing Musical Materials and Experiences	174	(6)
Selecting Teaching Strategies	180	(3)
Evaluating Musical Materials and Experiences	183	(1)
Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities	184	(4)
Motivator	184	(1)
Planner	185	(1)
Co-Participant	186	(1)
Observer	186	(1)
Resource Manager	187	(1)
Integrating Music and Movement into the Subject Areas	188	(3)
Mathematics, Science, and Technology	188	(1)
Language, Literature, and Literacy	189	(1)
Social Studies, Health, and Nutrition	190	(1)
Practical Applications for Your Classroom	191	(10)
Experiences to Support Cultural and Ethnic Diversity	191	(1)
Sample Teaching Theme on African Rhythms and Harmonies	191	(2)
Experiences to Support Inclusion	193	(1)
Adaptations for Individual Learners	194	(1)
Conclusion	195	(6)
Creative Drama in the Early Childhood Curriculum	201	(46)
Teachers' Reflections on Drama	202	(1)
Case Study: Reenacting a Story	203	(1)
Theoretical and Research Base: What Is Creative Drama?	204	(4)
The Meaning of Enactment	206	(1)
Forms of Enactment	207	(1)
The Importance of Creative Drama in the Curriculum	208	(5)
Criteria for Integrating Drama into the Curriculum	213	(3)
Selecting and Presenting Experiences and Materials	213	(2)
Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities	215	(1)
Appropriate Creative Drama Activities and Experiences	216	(18)
Dramatic and Sociodramatic Play	216	(6)
Story Play	222	(3)
Pantomime	225	(2)
Puppets	227	(4)
Story Drama	231	(1)
Readers Theater	232	(2)
Integrating Creative Drama into the Subject Areas	234	(6)
Mathematics, Science, and Technology	234	(1)
Language, Literature, and Literacy	235	(2)
Social Studies, Health, and Nutrition	237	(3)
Practical Applications for Your Classroom	240	(7)
Experiences to Support Cultural and Ethnic Diversity	240	(1)
Experiences to Support Inclusion	241	(1)
Adaptations for Individual Learners	241	(6)
Part 3 Contexts for Creative Expression and Play	247	(98)
Planning and Managing the Creative Learning Environment	248	(50)
Teachers' Reflections on Creative Environments	249	(2)
Case Study: The Creative Classroom	251	(1)
Theoretical and Research Base: Features of Creative Environments	251	(8)
Climate	252	(2)
Space	254	(1)
Time	255	(4)
Planning and Managing the Indoor Environment	259	(17)
Room Arrangement	259	(3)
Centers	262	(12)
Transitions and Routines	274	(2)
Planning and Managing the Outdoor Environment	276	(11)
Types of Playgrounds	278	(1)
Developmentally Appropriate Outdoor Play Environments	279	(6)
Outdoor Environments for Children of Different Ages and with Diverse Needs	285	(2)
Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities	287	(2)
Practical Applications for Your Classroom	289	(9)
Experiences to Support Cultural and Ethnic Diversity	289	(1)
Experiences to Support Inclusion	290	(1)
Adaptations for Individual Learners	291	(7)
Play Materials for Creative Expression and Play	298	(47)
Teachers' Reflections on Play Materials	299	(2)
Case Study: Dramatic Play in the Block and Housekeeping Areas	301	(1)
Theoretical and Research Base: The Importance of Self-Expressive Play Materials	302	(4)
History of Toys and Playthings	302	(1)
Convergent and Divergent Play Materials	303	(2)
Selection and Use of Safe Play Materials	305	(1)
Types of Materials	306	(2)
Skill/Concept Materials	307	(1)
Gross Motor Materials	307	(1)
Manipulative Materials	307	(1)
Construction Materials	307	(1)
Self-Expressive Materials	308	(1)
Natural and Everyday Objects	308	(1)
Developmentally Appropriate Materials	308	(12)
Infants and Toddlers	311	(3)
Preschoolers and Kindergartners	314	(4)
School-Age Children	318	(2)
Technology Materials and Children's Play	320	(4)
Appropriate Software for Young Children	321	(3)
Other Divergent Play Materials	324	(5)
Blocks	324	(2)
Modeling Materials	326	(2)
Sand and Water	328	(1)
Organized Games	329	(3)
What Is a Game?	329	(1)
The Value of Games	330	(1)
Competition versus Cooperation	331	(1)
Child-Constructed Games	332	(3)
Invented Games	332	(3)
Making Games with Children	335	(1)
Practical Applications for Your Classroom	335	(10)
Experiences to Support Cultural and Ethnic Diversity	336	(1)
Experiences to Support Inclusion	336	(2)
Adaptations for Individual Learners	338	(7)
Part 4 Learner-Centered Teaching for Today and Tomorrow	345	(132)
Guiding Young Children's Creative Expression and Communicating with Families	346	(43)
Teachers' Reflections on Guiding Creative Expression	347	(1)
Case Study: Helping Children Verbalize Needs	348	(2)
Theoretical and Research Base: Guidance in Early Childhood Settings	350	(4)
Constructivism	350	(1)
Humanism	351	(1)
Behavirorism and Social-Learning Theory	351	(1)
An Eclectic Approach	352	(2)
Your Role in Guiding Creative Behavior	354	(4)
Styles of Adult-Child Interactions	356	(2)
Developmentally Appropriate Guidance	358	(6)
Fostering Prosocial Behavior	358	(6)
Understanding Children's Conflicts	364	(4)
Causes of Conflict	364	(1)
Types of Conflicts in the Creative Classroom	365	(1)
Helping Children Resolve Conflicts	365	(3)
Strategies of Guiding Creative Expression	368	(5)
Problem-Solving Groups	368	(2)
Investigative Play	370	(1)
Project Work	371	(2)
Communicating with Families about Creative Expression	373	(6)
Empowering Families in Partnership	373	(2)
Obstacles to Communication	375	(1)
Strategies for Communicating with Families	376	(3)
Practical Applications for Your Classroom	379	(10)
Experiences to Support Cultural and Ethnic Diversity	379	(2)
Experiences to Support Inclusion	381	(1)
Adaptations for Individual Learners	382	(7)
Assessing Creative Expression and Play	389	(46)
Teachers' Reflections on Assessment	390	(1)
Case Study: Assessment Issues	391	(1)
Theoretical and Research Base: What Is Performance Assessment?	392	(6)
Purposes of Assessing Divergent Thinking	393	(3)
Difficulties with Assessment	396	(2)
Criteria for Assessment	398	(5)
Assessing Creative Processes	400	(2)
Assessing Creative Products	402	(1)
Assessing Multiple Intelligence	403	(1)
Appropriate Assessment of Young Children's Creative Expression and Play	403	(10)
Observing Children's Creative Expression and Play	404	(1)
Types of Observation	405	(6)
Portfolio Assessment	411	(2)
Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities	413	(12)
Matching Observation Techniques to Purposes	419	(1)
Providing Flexible Groups	419	(1)
Noting Patterns	419	(1)
Asking Good Questions	420	(2)
Developing New Teaching Strategies	422	(1)
Teacher and Learner Self-Evaluation	423	(2)
Practical Applications for Your Classroom	425	(10)
Experiences to Support Cultural and Ethnic Diversity	426	(1)
Experiences to Support Inclusion	426	(1)
Adaptations for Individual Learners	427	(1)
Conclusion	428	(7)
Creative Expression and Play in the Third Millennium	435	(42)
Teachers' Reflections on Creativity	436	(1)
Case Study: Jamal	437	(4)
Theoretical and Research Base: The Human Brain	441	(7)
How Basic Is Creative Thinking?	446	(1)
Educational Reform	447	(1)
Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities	448	(11)
The Realities of Teaching	448	(2)
Redefining the Teacher's Role	450	(1)
Teachers as Mediators of Learning	451	(2)
Teachers' Own Creativity and Teacher Empowerment	453	(4)
Creative Teaching in the Future	457	(2)
An Agenda for the Future of Creative Expression and Play	459	(2)
Practical Applications for Your Classroom	461	(16)
Experiences to Support Cultural and Ethnic Diversity	462	(3)
Experiences to Support Inclusion	465	(1)
Adaptations for Individual Learners	465	(12)
Appendix A: Dance Prop Box	477	(3)
Appendix B: Published Rating Scales to Evaluate Preschool Settings	480	(2)
Appendix C: Noncompetitive Games for Children	482	(6)
Appendix D: Observations of Medical Play	488	(4)
Appendix E: Case Study: Dittos and Elegant Costumes	492	(3)
Appendix F: Resources for Play Materials	495	(2)
Glossary	497	(4)
Index	501

Excerpts

Preface As everyone knows, young children have active imaginations and are naturally playful. Ideally, all of the programs that are designed for young children, infancy through age eight, would capitalize on these remarkable assets of the early childhood years. The early childhood educator's knowledge of child development; repertoire of instructional strategies; and personal/professional beliefs, values, and attitudes have major ramifications for young children's creative expression and play If adults who work with young children are too controlling, creativity is undermined and play virtually disappears from early childhood settings. If the adults are too laissez-faire, play behaviors and modes of creative expression get stalled at less mature levels. In the third edition ofCreative Expression and Play in Early Childhood,we try to show novice and experienced early childhood teachers and caregivers the roles, responsibilities, and strategies that lead to a more child-centered, play-based curriculum--one that nurtures children's creative expression in all of its forms. Background This book is an outgrowth of our combined nearly 50 years of teaching college courses on children's creativity and play to early childhood and elementary students at various stages in their careers--students seeking initial licensure or certification, whether they are enrolled in a community college, four-year teacher-preparation program, or fifth-year Professional Development School (PDS)--as well as practitioners who are seeking continuing certification or a master's degree in the field of early childhood. As is the case with many textbooks, we wrote this book because it was the one we wished we had when we first began teaching an early childhood course on children's play and creativity. We discovered that we were both searching for a text that would integrate creative expression and play into the total preschool-primary grades curriculum, a text that would treat play and creativity as fundamental to developmentally appropriate practice. Our overarching goal in writing this book is to further the professional development of preservice and inservice teachers. We seek to prepare professionals who not onlyknow aboutchildren's play and creative expression, but who alsoknow howto provide these experiences andknow whychildren's creative expression and play are so important. With the third edition, our goal remains the same. It has been gratifying to see the book that we conceptualized received enthusiastically by our colleagues in the early childhood profession and to see the book endure for a third rebirth. It has been a privilege as well as a labor of love to be able to revisit our work, to linger over its language, and to craft it into an even better book. We must confess to some reluctance when our editor, Ann Davis, first suggested that it was time to begin thinking about a third edition. The first edition was published in 1993, and the ink seemed barely dry when we began discussions for the second edition in 1994. Likewise, the second edition was published in 1997, and beginning the work of revising it in 1998 seemed premature, at best. Yet, as we began to draft the revision plan, we were reminded of what a dynamic field early childhood education is. So much had happened that there really was more to say, and we felt that we could say it better and more clearly than previously. We now appreciate Ann's wisdom in nudging us into the second, and now the third, edition ofCreative Expression-and Play in Early Childhood. Need We are aware that many publications exist that use the wordcreativeorplayin their titles. It distresses us that some of these "creative activities" books make minimal contributions toteachers'creative growth, much lesschildren's.Instead, they are compilations of "cute" ideas designed to "keep