Discussion Post

To prepare for this discussion, read the article Research News You Can Use: Debunking the Play Vs. Learning Dichotomy (Links to an external site.). Then use the following scenario to guide your thinking: 

As a leader and professional in the field of early childhood education, you have decided to write on this topic for your local newspaper column. Using the Toulmin model as your guide, defend the use of play in the classroom. Your article should be written in academic writing style and should include the following:

Explain your school’s philosophy of play in the classroom.
Defend the ways in which play enhances development in each domain of development and is considered a developmentally appropriate practice. Support this portion of your article with your primary text and at least one scholarly or credible resource.
Describe each form of play. Identify three things children are learning as they engage in pretend play and three things children are learning as they engage in construction play.
Compare and contrast the difference between a classroom in which guided play is a part of the curriculum and one that uses play to simply fill up time. Support this portion of your discussion with your primary text and at least one scholarly or credible resource.