ARLINGTON — With the implementation of full-time kindergarten this year, the Arlington School Board was treated to a firsthand look at how students learn how to teach themselves.
Kent Prairie Elementary Principal Karl Olson quoted Albert Einstein’s assertion that “Play is the highest form of research,” which he demonstrated by having two kindergarten students, accompanied by their older grade-school brothers, engage in learning activities with school board members Jim Weiss and Bob McClure, on the carpeted floor of the boardroom Oct. 12.
“Can you color inside the lines?” Weiss asked kindergarten student Addie Kinney, while McClure played a matching game with her classmate, Delaney Cooper. When Addie answered yes, Weiss replied, “I can’t do that.”
While Weiss grudgingly agreed to share the blue pieces of a set of pattern blocks, Olson elaborated that students are guided through sessions of play, with such toys and games, in ways that teach them how to take turns, how to win graciously and how to lose without feeling bad.
“It lets teachers see who’s ready to cooperate and learn more, in addition to developing the students’ fine motor skills,” Olson said. “Teachers are able to get important data this way.”
In addition to getting kindergarten students accustomed to more structured activities, they learn how to prepare for their play sessions, as well as what to do when they’re done.
“This is where the ‘I noticed’ stage comes into play,” Olson said. “The first time they finished playing and left everything out, their teacher asked them what they noticed. The students saw that no one had put anything away, so they learned that they needed to clean up after themselves.”
By coaxing the students to make observations on their own, they’ve developed their own routines, such as making sure not to dump all the Lego pieces onto the floor at once.
“It gives them ownership over those habits and makes it more likely that they’ll carry those behaviors forward into the future,” Olson said.
Terri Bookey, director of early learning and categorical programs for the district, cited research connecting “Learning to Play” to stronger academic performance. She reported that every kindergarten classroom has the materials needed to accommodate this learning style, which she said the teachers have embraced.
“It allows all the students to go at their own pace,” Bookey said. “Sometimes, you have to go slow in order to go fast later on.”
