The Evolution of Play in Public School Kindergarten Classrooms

This study portrays kindergarten teachers’ developmentally appropriate practices in order to authenticate the component of play. Recently, student achievement has been the primary focus in Early Childhood Education, and play is seen as an action that precludes academic learning. The study found that participant kindergarten teachers:(1) have a developing understanding of the positive impact play has on student development, yet they are not aware of how to successfully implement play in their classroom; (2) tend to be more work driven than play driven in their daily activities; and (3) perceive play occurs when manipulatives are made available for student use, however, the activities are largely teacher-directed in contrast to student initiated play. There are gaps between teacher knowledge of how child initiated play impacts learning and the actual classroom implementation of child initiated play. Teachers need development to understand how to use materials to integrate play into lessons. Kindergarten teachers require professional development that permits the integration of knowledge of play and the implementation of play in an increasingly accountability driven environment.