Inclusive Early Childhood Education

What is Play Based Philosophy?

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The guiding principles of the ECE program at McKinley-Thatcher are rooted in a play-based approach to education.  This approach emphasizes the importance of a child-centered classroom, one in which children are consistently engaged in meaningful experiences that reflect their ideas and interests.  Play-based learning draws upon a child's natural curiosity for exploration, and provides ample opportunity to initiate, maintain, and extend learning at an appropriate pace.  

 

Play is vital to children’s wellbeing and sense of belonging, and forms the basis of who they become in the future.  When play and learning are woven together, children are more likely to develop positive dispositions towards learning and real understandings of the world around them. This enhances their sense of self and gives them a strong foundation from which they can become competent and capable individuals in a changing world.

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Qualities of a Play-Based Program

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• Incorporates child interests and ideas into planned experiences 

• Utilizes child interests and ideas to extend and create new experiences

• Supports the inclusion of all children in play

• Offers a variety of play spaces 

• Offers a range of open-ended experiences and materials

• Emphasizes process over product

• Enables children to self-select materials and play independently

• Enables children to transform play spaces

• Allows children to play for extended periods of time without interruption

• Allows children to extend projects over multiple days

• Allows children to work alone or with others

• Caters to different learning styles and abilities

• Connects experiences to children's lives

• Links children’s investigations to key learning areas or outcomes

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Developing the Whole Child

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In the ECE-3 classroom, we focus on developing, honoring, and celebrating the whole-child, with the knowledge that the growth of the mind, body, and spirit are all contingent on one another. We provide opportunities for children to use play as a means for understanding their surrounding environments and lives, while helping them to foster a sense of self. Through hands-on exploration, children are active participants in their learning. 

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Role of the Educator

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• Interact with and observe children to gain insights into their interests, skills and knowledge

• Be responsive to children’s cues and the way they use the environment and materials

• Seek information from families and colleagues to better understand children and plan for their learning

• Create inviting play areas with open-ended materials

• Create an unhurried environment where children have time to explore and extend their investigations

• Seek out resources and information that will extend children’s interests and learning

• Provide modeling and instruction when required

• Offer suggestions and encourage children to learn from each other

• Modify play areas as children’s interest change

• Be an active learner

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Documenting & Assessing Play-based Learning

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The ECE program at McKinley Thatcher Elementary uses a comprehensive documentation system to track student progress throughout the year.  The assessment tool through which documentation is regularly recorded, tracked, and shared with families is entitled "Teaching Strategies GOLD" (or commonly referred to as TS GOLD).

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TS GOLD is a research based assessment program that utilizes authentic, on-going, observation-based methods of documentation in order to see a child's development across the span of early childhood years.  Information gathered from this assessment tool informs many areas of teacher planning.  It assists in determining everything from overarching year-long goals, to individualized scaffolds for instruction.  TS GOLD documentation makes children's play and learning visible to the child, family, and wider community.  It captures the student's interests, skills, knowledge, and development and highlights changes as he or she continues to grow.

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Ts GOLD Developmental Domains

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• Social/Emotional 

• Cognitive

• Language

• Mathematics

• Literacy

• Physical

• Science & Technology

• Social Studies

• The Arts

• English Language Development (English Language Learners)