While reading the assigned texts/videos/blog posts, I found myself thinking of my after school program and the lack of “play” that is incorporated. I think I should explain the set up of my program before I go any further.
We have outside providers come into the AfterZone site( Roger Williams) to teach our kids: dancing, cooking, life skills, and preforming arts. Our after-school program runs from 3:00pm to 5:15pm. Some providers such as, our cooking instructor choose to hold two hour programs. We only see these kids during dinner and dismissal time. Other than that, they are in their programs. On the other hand, we have some providers that choose to hold programs for only a hour. So, if their program runs from 3pm to 4pm, then they have AfterZone and vice versatile. AfterZone is supposed to be considered free time or free play.
After reading this weeks assignments, I can honestly say my program is missing free play. My current supervisor believes in having a set schedule of AfterZone activities. But instead of asking our kids what they would like to do for the day, she leaves it in the hands of the staff. I have some kids who would much rather play board games, listen to music, and play games on their phone than play the assigned game for the day. I look down on the schedule because we are not giving our kids a voice. There have been times when my supervisor would tell some of our quieter kids to go to the gym and participate in the AfterZone game of the day. One of my kids came up to me and said, “At DelSesto, the staff let their kids pick what they want to do. I don’t like to play with other kids. I want to be by myself playing on my phone”. If it were up to me, every day of AfterZone would be free play. I would pull out board games in the cafeteria and bring out sports equipment and set that up in the gym. I guarantee that would diminish the amount of kids who choose to sit against the wall and curse out staff members.
Hi Essence,
ReplyDeleteThank you for a glimpse into what you do on a daily basis. Your example is exactly what the historical idea of adult intervention of what play should be. When I was working for Bradley hospital on a full time basis, I had a set of twins who went to school from about 8 to 12, had ABA therapy with me from 12:30 to 4, & was typically in bed by around 7 or 8. Mind you, these are 3-4 year olds (the schedule started when they were only 3 & went into 4) pretty much working a 8-4 job. Granted, a lot of this "work" is thought of as silly, fun, interactive play, but it is OUR version of play nevertheless. At no point during the day are they allowed to just do what they want to do. So, when I ran my sessions, I allowed my kiddos the freedom to play supervised, but not intervened with.