We are excited to share some news
with you! Christ Lutheran Preschool, always striving to do what we truly
believe is best for children, is taking advantage of an opportunity to get a
worldwide approach to preschoolers: how they develop, and how they learn. Miss Chris (our director) and I are going to attend a week-long
conference that will bring together early childhood educators from around the
world, to share and learn from experts in the field, from one another, and even
from preschoolers themselves. All of the teachers and directors attending this
conference share two things: One is that we truly believe in the importance of
play and play-based learning for preschool-aged children. The other is that we
know that we can all benefit from sharing ideas, gaining insight, and learning
from others, how best to lead our children as they learn, grow, and develop in
appropriate ways.
At this conference we will be
immersed in the preschool setting in Iceland, a nation that is a frontrunner in
the concept of play-based education. Iceland is known for its forward-thinking
educational philosophy, and its global success rate in education. The national
policy in Iceland is that preschool-aged children learn through play, and that
play time can be used both as a goal itself, and as a means to achieving other
educational goals. This is based on the concept that early childhood is the
most important time for brain development, when children start building brain
connections. The job of the preschool is to coordinate activities that allow
the children to play, interact, grow, and learn, through open-ended play, risk
taking, and communication. This aligns very well with what we try to do at
Christ Lutheran Preschool. The Play Iceland conference is an amazing chance to learn
more about what exactly their national policy of “education through play” looks
like in real life. It is a unique opportunity to see how, in daily practice,
schools and teachers allow for play, and how they use play to teach. It will
allow us to see the practical ins and outs of what play and learning look like
in a real setting, with real children. It will allow us to refresh and renew
our belief in supporting the right for children to be little, to play… for they
will grow up soon enough.
The other component of the
conference is getting to coordinate with other teachers and directors from all
over the United States and other countries. We will listen to world-renowned
speakers in the field of early childhood education, and learn more about the
child development, play, and learning. This opportunity to collaborate with
other teachers who are as passionate about preschoolers, the importance of
play, and child development as we are will allow us to learn about their
schools and their policies and practices. It will give us a chance to compare
notes, get ideas, and develop our own thoughts after bouncing them off of each
other. As the conference leaders state, the purpose of this international
format is to “open discussion and debate about our practice and the work we do
on a broader platform. … it’s about sharing our worldwide experiences,
encouraging ourselves and each other as to the value and importance of the work
we are undertaking.”
We are certain that this week of
experiencing children in their own natural preschool setting, watching teachers
who work in a setting where they are instructed
and required (by national policy) to
allow for play-based learning and supported (by general public philosophy),
will allow us to see what children can and do experience in other places. It
will allow us to learn new policies, evaluate our own practices, and gain
knowledge.
We also plan to make many
connections at this conference. We are already engaged in conversations with
our fellow conference attendees. We have researched and read about the speakers
and leaders of this event. Their philosophies align so well with our own, and
we are excited to connect with them, ask questions, and learn. As a
well-respected preschool in our own community, we are excited to show and teach
others about what we do so well. It is going to be amazing to engage and
connect directly with them for the week, and it will be a fantastic resource to
us when we continue the conversations after we return. We hope to invite these
international leaders in our field to come to our community and lead our staff
and parents in learning and practicing the concepts of letting children
explore, create, and learn through their play and their experiences.
We appreciate the preschool board
for seeing the importance of this trip, and encouraging us to attend!
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