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The play way : an essay in educational method / by H. Caldwell Cook.

Cook, Henry Caldwell, 1886-1939.

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Play Way Method of Teaching -Everything You Need To Know

The play way method of teaching is one of the newest trends in the field of education. It refers to the wholesome progress of a child. It is done in reference to the various areas, such as feelings, emotions, knowledge and motor skill development. This style of teaching concentrates on both kinds of development of a child – subjective as well as emotional.

In this method of teaching, playing games or sports is very important . This whole methodology is driven by the technique that moves around activity-based learning. The process of play-way method of teaching even promotes and helps build creativity and expressive skills among young kids.

In this article, you will learn about the various characteristics of the play way method and its advantages and disadvantages. You will also study about how effective it is and whether it has any really benefit for the young children or not.

What is Play Way Method of Teaching?

The play-way method of teaching propagates teaching through the various interesting activities instead of books. This method of teaching was invented by Henry Caldwell Cook . He was a British educationist who wrote the book The Play Way .

The books describes how doing anything is always a better learning procedure than reading or listening, and that young children always perform better when they are taught through the method of playing. According to him, knowledge always came from experience and never through just by reading and listening.

By following the play-way method of teaching, the teachers tend to follow the natural tendencies of the child so that he is able to get both knowledge and fun.

What are the Characteristics of Play Way Method?

The play-way method of teaching teaches a great deal to the children as well as teachers. They also learn to be patient and mould themselves according to the child’s moods, wishes and imagination. This methodology is very different from all the other older ones. Let us study some of the main characteristics of this method.

• Active: While playing actively, the children are able to use both their bodies as well as brains. They do so by intermingling the surroundings and materials with other people.
• Courageous and daring: While playing the kids are able to explore the new and unknown ideas. When they involve themselves in dangerous but courageous games, then they are able to securely understand these concepts within the securities of their homes.
• Communicative: Playing games or any kind of sports acts as a big chance for the children to be able to share all kinds of information, knowledge and comprehension. They can interact orally by using their words or body gestures and other non-verbal cues. These messages or information that is conveyed can be straightforward or at times difficult to comprehend.
• Enjoyable: For a child as well as adults, playing is always fun. When they play they tend to enjoy and get excited. Children should also be taught that when they play it should be for fun and not always to win!
• Consequences of playing games: Playing games gives the children many chances to learn something new. They assist the children in increasing their knowledge, analyse their new and creative theories and increase their level of information, understanding and abilities.
• Social and interactive: Playing games with other children gives the kids a unique chance to make new friends. They are able to interact more with other people, which makes them extrovert and confident. They become more social and outgoing, which leads to overall positive personal growth.
• Remedial: Playing is remedial for young children. It helps them relieve their stress and process new and different kinds of positive emotions and feelings.
• Self-Chosen: Playing games is a self-chosen, on the spot chase that young children alter based on their mood and whim. They should be able to alter the story, its characters, occasions and places depending on their choices.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Play Way Method of Teaching

The play-way method of teaching lets the children learn new and easy things without getting stuck into the world of books. It also increases their imagination. They are able to revise all the concepts in a fun and interactive manner.

But just like all the other concepts and methodologies, this one also has few advantages and disadvantages. Let us study and learn about them, briefly.

10 Advantages of Play Way Method of Teaching

The advantages of using the play-way are discussed as follows:

• Physical value: By playing different games, the child is able to develop his body. They give a lot of chances for physical movement of the entire body. This helps in muscular development. When the children play the blood moves with a fast pace, which helps the body in removing different wastes from it. It also keeps the children physically fit and helps them fight different ailments.
• Learn new things: The play way method of learning gives the children a lot of opportunities to learn new things.
• Social interaction: Through the play way method of learning, children interact more with their friends and peers of the same age. They learn to share, cooperate and work together with other children in a better way.
• Emotional aspect: The play way method of learning helps the children get a better grip over their emotions. They are able to express themselves in a better manner. They overcome their hesitation, sulkiness and apprehension.
• Whole-some development: Playing games leads to the mental, physical and emotional growth of a child. They act as a means for the overall progress of a child; his mind, body and potential.
• Friendly behaviour: Being surrounded by other people makes the child polite and he behaves with the other children and his parents and teachers in a friendly and respectful manner.
• Motivation: Playing in a group acts as a great motivation for young kids. These games encourage the child to do more and try to achieve better results in different fields of life.
• Get rid of boredom: The play-way method of teaching makes learning fun. It removes the aspect of boredom from the concept of learning as it follows the practice of learning by physical games and regular practice. This procedure is always more efficient.
• Be original and on his own: This play-way method provides a lot of space and freedom to the child. It helps him in developing his own self, ability to ask questions, creativity and individual thoughts.
• Teach positivity: The play-way method teaches a child to look for the brighter things in life. He understands that he must share and co-operate and help others. It also promotes a feeling of joint goodwill and fellow compassion.

Demerits/ Disadvantages of Play Way Method of Teaching

With everything that is good, some amount of bad is attached. We just studies the advantages of the play way method of teaching, now let us study about the disadvantages of this method.

• Only suitable for primary grades: This play way method of learning is suitable only for small children. It can cater to only pre-primary and primary grades. It is not suitable and cannot be grades to the remaining grades.
• Not possible to teach all subjects: The topics and theories of all the subjects cannot be taught through this methodology. Like complicated math or science theories or dates of History.
• Ignore learning: Some children ignore or forget that the basic aim of this method is to teach them something. They tend to concentrate on just playing fun and forget that they have to study and learn as well.
• Still under research: This method is still under research. It has, till now, also not been able to convince all the educators that it is the best method of teaching the students. Many educators do not follow this approach as they consider it divides the child’s attention.
• Wastage of time: The play way method of learning is considered wastage of time by many parents and teachers. They think that this method just wastes the child’s time and teaches him/ her nothing of value or consequence.
• Become too friendly: Sometimes the children become too friendly with the teacher and stop to behave in the respectful manner that they should. They forget that they have to consider the teacher as a respect figure and not just their friend.

How Effective is Play Way Method of Teaching?

The preliminary level of a child’s education is generally ignored but in actuality, it requires a lot of investigation and consideration. This is because a child’s future and base is made from primary level itself. The play-way method of learning is very effective and one of the most popular models for teaching children. It is being taught in most of India’s top preschools today.

When a child goes to the school for the first time he moves out of his home and his comfort zone. So, if a play-full environment is given to him then he will comfortable and will be able to make a bond easily with his teachers and other children. Also, small children generally get happy and thrilled if they are taught anything with fun involved in it.

This methodology lets children get creative and encourages their imagination. It helps children to improve their various skills , like gross and fine motor, artistic, ingenious, visual, cognitive, linguistic, etc. This unique method of learning can be altered and customised as per a child’s individual choices and wishes

So, it is different for every child. The teachers or parents need to make different specific learning plans and activities for each child so that a positive and fun-filled environment is created. These activities should be of various types; ranging from easy to difficult.

Giving a child complete freedom to do what he wishes, but in a protected and guided environment, is the best way to let his inner creative flourish. This kind of learning is completely based on natural instincts.

This method of learning completely disregards the age-old methods of analysing the kids’ knowledge’s depending on the grading procedure. The teacher checks the qualities and abilities of a child constantly and informs and updates the parents about the same.

When it is the time to promote the child to the next level , it is done so by seeing the child’s participation in a lot of fun-filled activities, like their inclination towards music, interaction with the teachers and the rest of the students of the class, craft work, learning and remembering skills, etc.

Such activities help in the child’s growth and development from all angles, such as physical, mental, emotional along with the development of the other skills.

There is no fixed process of applying the play-way technique of learning. It can also be merged with the other learning methods and techniques. The relevant information about this theory can be gained by completing the preschool trainer certification.

Whenever a school wants to include the play-way method of learning in its course, it has to analyse and plan even the minutest detail and then prepare consequently.

Is the Play Way Method Beneficial for Early Childhood Development?

The play way method of learning is very helpful and beneficial for the development of a child. Through this method, the children get to learn that they should co-operate and share things with their friends. They also learn the concept of helping those in need, while playing.

Even while getting knowledge and learning new things, this method instills new and positive skills in the child. It helps them become more compatible with their friends and classmates. They are also able to establish a comfortable and friendly relation with their teachers.

All of these things come together to jointly give a complete, futuristic, hopeful and comprehensive development of a child. As this method involves lot of physical activities, so it is much appreciated and wanted by young children and is quite beneficial and fruitful for them.

Play games also help in building the various skills of the child. Like if a child plays with blocks or begins to draw, then he tends to learn how to count, arrange/ rearrange and create and analyse different prototypes quite easily.

On the other hand, some children like to involve and show themselves as centre of attraction in big dramatic scenarios. They tend to express themselves by telling stories or incidents in an elaborate manner, by using their own vocabulary, and manner. It could be through songs or actions.

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Final Thoughts

The play way method of teaching is very important in the overall progress of a child. It requires a lot of awareness and investigation. If you only think about increasing the factual knowledge of your child and ignore the social and emotional progress then you are not giving the right education to your child.

The care in the early childhood and beginning years of learning are very important for a child . This kind of teaching should be casual, but done with a lot of care and consideration. It can include different types of narration, like telling stories, singing lullabies or playing creative games

When all of this is done in a creative manner and play-way then it will lead to a child becoming a happy and confident individual.

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Chapter 6: Henry Caldwell Cook (1886–1939): Play, Performance and the Perse

• First Online: 29 October 2021

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Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Alternative Education ((PSAE))

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Henry Caldwell Cook (1886–1939) was an innovative practitioner whose teaching at the Perse School in Cambridge sought to harness and develop children’s innate impulses towards creativity within both English and drama. This was done by encouraging them to write poetry, stories and stage-plays, many of which were anthologised, and through constructing a purpose-built theatre for the staging of their work. The chapter explores these initiatives, analyses Cook’s seminal work The Play Way (1917), and charts how his thinking contributed to concurrent educational policy such as the recommendations of the various Hadow Reports. It concludes by exploring his influence on later dramatic educators especially his appropriation by those thinkers who were to found the ‘drama-in-education’ movement.

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Howlett, J. (2021). Chapter 6: Henry Caldwell Cook (1886–1939): Play, Performance and the Perse. In: Howlett, J., Palmer, A. (eds) Unfolding Creativity. Palgrave Studies in Alternative Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75738-0_7

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The Play Way, an Essay in Educational Method

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How effective is the play-way method of learning in the early years of education

What can be more fun for a child than learning through play? The play-way method of education is about giving the child absolute freedom to grasp, explore and absorb knowledge

I walk into the outdoor learning center of The American International School in Chennai, I see a large open kitchen. A bunch of little 'chefs' had just finished cooking. The used utensils have been left to dry in a tub while the splendid spread of 'food' is on display at a table nearby. It consists of mud, leaves, stones, sticks, and pebbles, served on natural loofah plates.

Next to the kitchen is a sandpit with a large wooden play structure with ropes, pulleys, steps, and slides where children can climb, roll, jump, and explore. Additionally, several free-standing units of smooth planks, small ladders, and large lightweight wooden blocks are arranged at interesting angles, resembling an adventure zone. This particular set-up changes every day as the children make and build their own play structures using these free-standing units. Scattered around are mud tunnels fitted with large pipes for the children to crawl through.

Well, if you feel like you are on a trip to adventure land, hold your breath. This is all about 'Play'. Interesting, isn't it? "Play is learning for the child. That's why we don't label areas as 'play areas' as play is the whole focus for how early years students learn," says Vigna, special projects teacher for early years (3-4) at The American International School.

Let's learn more about how play-based learning works.

What is play-way education?

The play-way or play-based method of education believes in the ability of children to learn by themselves. There is no direct teaching, but the environment is carefully set up by teachers to ensure the child explores, questions, and understands the world around her. This philosophy largely applies to preschool and kindergarten children (2.5 to 5 years of age), when their development calls for plenty of explorative play, movement, and freedom.

The curriculum

Each school has a different curriculum and educational system. Schools even combine different styles to come up with their own unique curriculum. But, the guiding philosophy or the core value is always about letting the child learn through play. In play-way schools, direct teaching of letters and numbers or any other concept is saved for a later date. A five-year-old may have writing exercises that prepare her for mainstream education, but learning is relaxed and play-oriented for three and four-year-olds.

"Children have so many more years to learn 'A to Z' and all the numbers in an academic environment. Right now, they need to play. They need physical movement and they need to play in the sand and manipulate tiny objects (we are always around the child to ensure safety) so their gross and fine motor skills develop. They need to know how to interact with a peer, speak up and ask questions. They need to explore their physical strengths - so they can lift, move, sift and build. They need to be given the space for imagination and creativity. Most of all, they need to be allowed to be happy," says Vigna.

The story is not very different at another 'playful' school - SEED International School also in Chennai, where each month's curriculum goes by a theme. Children start their academic year with the theme 'All about me'. The activities and material vary depending on the age group. Here, if the theme for a month is Food and Nutrition, children are taken to a market to see, touch, and feel the vegetables and fruits. They engage in pretend play activities like buying and selling wooden vegetables. The children and teachers put up a vegetable stall where parents come to buy vegetables. Sometimes, they also prepare simple dishes at school.

Jayashree, center coordinator, SEED International School, says: "Every month, as children learn about the theme, we integrate concepts like shapes, letters, numbers, opposites, science, art and crafts in the curriculum. We introduce activities that will allow them to learn through exploration, experience, and play. We may show two vegetables and ask which one is long and which one is short, or we ask them to pick all the green veggies. When we speak about birds, trees, rain, and weather, we may go on a walk and observe the birds and collect twigs to make a nest."

Materials used

The schools take great care in selecting their learning material, most of which is open-ended to encourage creativity and imagination. These include simple everyday objects such as bottle corks or twigs. You will also find animal figurines, wooden vegetables, and sensory materials that can be manipulated and built into rockets or trains, bridges, or kitchens. Some materials are designed by the teacher herself. The schools also have plenty of opportunities for pretend play.

The environment

The learning environment is split into different areas. There is an indoor learning environment that is further divided into several mini environments—reading and literacy, Math, Social and Dramatics, Art, Science, and the like. There is also an outdoor area with designated spaces - water play, sand play , kitchen (pretend play), free play, motor skill development, and more. "Play is the work of a child. It is learning. A child's social-emotional connections, problem-solving ability, and cognition develop during play," adds Vigna.

Method of teaching

In the play-way or play-based system, the teacher sets up open-ended material in the classroom in an inviting manner. The material can be anything - blocks, some letters in a bin, a display of some leaves and twigs (to teach numbers, texture, or about plants). When the child starts working with the material, the teacher observes. Sometimes, if the child doesn't succeed in an activity like solving a puzzle or, stacking blocks, the teacher will still observe, and wait for the child to figure out a way. Trial and error are encouraged. At times, the teacher asks inquiry-based questions; or she merely participates in the child's play. All activities and materials are aimed at helping the child develop age-appropriate skills and a love for learning.

A typical day at school

Some schools let the children have some free play as soon as they enter, before gathering. Otherwise, in general, the day starts with Circle Time, which is the morning meeting where children sit in a circle along with the teacher. Each child greets the child sitting next to him or her. The children speak about what they did the previous day. Then the teacher brings out an object to begin a conversation. As they converse, the literacy and social skills of the children develop. "During Circle Time, we ask and tell the children what day, month, year, and time it is. We also discuss the day's weather and the season of the year," Jayshree shares.

Outdoor exploration

During the outdoor exploration time, children have free play in a structured environment. They also go on field visits and observation walks. Play-way schools take great care in selecting their learning materials, most of which are open-ended.

There are plenty of opportunities for movement. The schools encourage sand play and challenging physical movements such as crawling, climbing, and pulling using their hands, to name a few. Children thus learn about their bodies and physical strengths. This, in turn, will help build their stamina further. Some schools also have time for special skill activities like swimming.

Indoor learning

During indoor learning time, the children move from one learning area to another to explore different concepts. The children also sing and dance.

Language, reading, and writing skills: Keeley, a language educator at The American International School says, "We let younger children pick letters and ask them questions like, 'What is that letter? Do you know how it sounds?' and so on. Our interactions are inquiry-based and they help in language acquisition."

'Communication' is a large part of building language and reading skills. Circle time, playtime, book reading, social interactions, and provocations (an open-ended activity designed to stimulate ideas and imagination) are all opportunities for the child to communicate and learn.

Cozy reading nooks with shelves of picture books invite children to pick and snuggle up with a book, to browse and read. Of course, no day is complete without the teacher reading a book aloud to the children and sharing stories. Children also learn new words by observing the space around them, going on field trips, listening to stories, and enacting rhymes.

Number sense: Numbers are taught using games and activities that help the child observe, think, and understand. The child may be asked to hop two times or clap three times. "We have a large hopscotch mat with numbers written on it. The child is asked to place one car on the number '1', two cars on the number '2', and so on. We also have cars with numbers written on them. Children match these cars to the written numbers. The children are sometimes asked to jump on number '1' on the hopscotch mat. We have several other materials to teach numbers. For example, we have colored interlocking chains and we ask the children to connect two red chains," explains Jayashree.

Art:  Children have a ready supply of art materials to get inspired. In any play-based learning environment, the process of making art or having fun is given more importance than the end product. It is not about getting the perfect collage or coloring within the lines. It is about the process of the child selecting the colors and sitting down to paint. Children are also encouraged to go outdoors to collect twigs and leaves or watch a millipede crawl. Children then come back to the class to create art out of the collected dried leaves and sticks. They feel a great sense of accomplishment in creating their artwork. At the American International School, there is a display of several such artworks —paintbrushes made using twigs and thread, collages made out of leaves, family portraits, colorful paintings, and more.

The process of making the art or having fun is given more importance than the end product

Assessment process

In most play-way schools, the assessment is continuous. The teacher observes the children every day and makes notes on their development. There is no test with papers or a test day when the child's skills are assessed. "If the child hasn't eaten well in the morning, he may not be interested in telling me about shapes or numbers or stories. But, that does not mean he doesn't know them. So, we cannot evaluate a child's understanding based on a single day's test," says Chitra, center head, SEED International school. Keeley adds: "Assessment is not fixed for a particular day where a uniform assessment sheet is given out. We are collecting data throughout the year to see if each child is meeting the educational expectations."

The play-based learning approach can tug at your heart as it is the most natural approach to child development. It is a system that allows your child to grow into a confident learner. "I've worked in other academic-based schools too. Comparing the two, I notice that when learning is play-based, students get along very well and they take ownership of their learning. They ask questions and grow confident. They have more autonomy and control. Their voice is given importance. They get more individual attention from the teacher. They have fun learning. This makes their primary education successful. This sets a strong foundation for a great educational journey," concludes Keeley.

Before enrolling your child in a play-way or play-based school, ensure you visit the school and observe the way the classrooms are set up. Observe the materials available and understand if there is space for the child's imagination and creativity to expand. Study the available supplies and play area while also actively interacting with the director and the teachers. When I asked Vigna what is the one question parents must ask the teacher before enrolling their child, without batting an eye she responded, "Ask if my child will have fun and play!"

That sounds like just the right question, doesn't it?

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The play way

An essay in educational method, by henry caldwell cook.

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The play way; an essay in educational method Paperback – August 10, 2019

• Print length 408 pages
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Alpha Edition (August 10, 2019)
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