s_ilfis06ppt_khp.pdf
- 1. Learning to play: Playing to learn Kathy Hirsh-Pasek y Lefkowitz Professor of Psychology Temple University
- 2. Keynote address at the 2011 Family Impact Seminar held y y p at the Copley Theater in Aurora, Illinois on February 19, 2011 Co-sponsored by the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois and Illinois Action y for Children
- 3. What do you hear? What do you hear? What do you hear? What do you hear? Repeat after me p
- 4. Changing the lens: Changing the lens: Changing the lens: Changing the lens: Relations: high low Math and division 1/2 Time
- 5. What’s going on? What’s going on? Just play?
- 6. Changing the lens Changing the lens Language Perspective taking
- 7. It is time to change the lens…. It is time to change the lens…. It is time to change the lens…. It is time to change the lens…. On the role of play in education p y To have parents and policy makers see To have parents and policy makers see the social and academic value of playful learning learning
- 8. SOME INTERESTING FACTS SOME INTERESTING FACTS SOME INTERESTING FACTS SOME INTERESTING FACTS We are leaving the information age, where getting the factoids was enough…. We are entering a new era, a knowledge age in hi h i f i i d bli which information is doubling every 2.5 years. Integrating information and innovation is key.
- 9. Success in the global workforce of the 21st century requires that our children be skilled in the 6CsTM TM
- 10. As Daniel Pink (2005), author of A h l i d it whole new mind writes: The past few decades have belonged to a certain kind of person The past few decades have belonged to a certain kind of person with a certain kind of mind-- computer programmers who could crank code, lawyers who could craft contracts, MBAs who could crunch numbers. But the keys to the kingdom are changing hands. y g g g The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind - creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers, and meaning makers… g g
- 11. And, the Partnership for the 21st Century Skills , p y (September 10, 2008) In an economy driven by innovation and knowledge … g the ingenuity, agility and skills of the American people are crucial to U S competitiveness crucial to U.S. competitiveness. 21st Century Skills: Education and Competitiveness
- 12. What does all this have to do with the way we raise and with the way we raise and educate Illinois’ children?
- 13. EVERYTHING BECAUSE….. Our children are The workforce of that future, The workforce of the year 2040
- 14. Today, I am going to shock you Today, I am going to shock you ( b d l d ) ( b d l d ) (or maybe you guessed already) (or maybe you guessed already) With one way we can achieve the very goals that our nation wants very goals that our nation wants to instill…..
- 16. In fact, a large body of research suggests that…. High quality preschool programs are characterized by p g y playful environments in which children have strong relationships with their relationships with their caregivers and are engaged in active learning. g __ Galinsky 2005
- 17. This holds for all children This holds for all children This holds for all children This holds for all children In the US, England, China and Singapore For children who are rural or urban F hild h i h For children who are rich or poor For children who are Hispanic, Asia, Caucasian or Black or Black
- 18. But whatever happened to play? But whatever happened to play? In 1981, a typical school-age child in the United States had 40% of her time open for play. By 1997, the time for play had shrunk to 25%. p y What percentage is it down to now??
- 19. Recent research suggests that Recent research suggests that Recent research suggests that Recent research suggests that In the last two decades children have lost 8 hours of free play per week hours of free play per week Th d f h l i th U it d St t Thousands of schools in the United States have eliminated recess to make time for d i t d more academic study. Elkind, (2008) Greater Good , ( ) Center for Public Education, 2008
- 20. And a recent report from the Alliance for Childhood Survey in New York and LA (April y ( p 2009) showed… Th t l i ll it f b t That play -- in all its forms, but especially open-ended child- initiated play, is now a minor activity in most kindergartens, if not completely eliminated.
- 21. Direct observation of 142 NY classrooms and 112 LA l l d th t LA classrooms revealed that… 25% of the teachers in the Los Angeles sample g p reported having no time whatsoever in their classrooms for children’s free play. 61% of the teachers in the New York sample reported having 30 minutes or less of daily choice time (In Los having 30 minutes or less of daily choice time. (In Los Angeles, the figure was 81%.) 79% of the New York teachers reported spending time every day in testing or test preparation. In Los Angeles, it was 82%.
- 22. In fact, several recent articles raise the i f l ! importance of play! Scientific America February 2009: Scientific America, February, 2009: Play-deprived childhood disrupts normal social, emotional and cognitive development in humans and animals. NYTimes, September, 2009 Can the right kinds of play teach self control? Can the right kinds of play teach self control? NYTimes, February 2010 Playing to Learn NYTimes January 2011 NYTimes, January 2011 Movement to restore play gains momentum
- 23. We are wearing out our youngest We are wearing out our youngest g y g g y g children by children by •Engaging in “drill-and-kill” activities rather than playful and meaningful learning, even at the youngest ! ages! •Testing for “factoids” in our assessments rather than Testing for factoids in our assessments rather than real learning
- 27. These issues and more prompted a report from the American Academy These issues and more prompted a report from the American Academy These issues and more prompted a report from the American Academy These issues and more prompted a report from the American Academy of Pediatricians in October 2006 entitled: of Pediatricians in October 2006 entitled: Th I t f Pl i P ti H lth Child The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds They wrote: These guidelines are written in response to the These guidelines are written in response to the multiple forces challenging play. The overriding premise is that play …is essential to the i i h i l i l d i l ll cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well- being of children and youth.
- 28. O i t ft f Our society often confuses l i ith i ti learning with memorization d and t t ith test scores with success
- 29. And parents are barraged with books that And parents are barraged with books that speak to their newly created anxieties speak to their newly created anxieties about whether their children will succeed about whether their children will succeed
- 30. Have we forgotten how to play? “Play is under siege” (Zigler, 2004)
- 31. Maybe…. Maybe…. Maybe…. Maybe…. We have data from a study with Fisher-Price suggesting that play really is under siege as the public’s ideas of what constitutes play are changing… and that parents now consider flash cards a kind of play : ( Fisher, Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff (2008)
- 32. The consequence for a society is huge, The consequence for a society is huge, b i i b i i between raising … between raising … ROBOTS? CREATIVE THINKERS?
- 33. The challenge is to ik b l strike a balance… between the desire to enrich children’s lives and the between the desire to enrich children s lives and the need to foster play as a foundation for learning skills like collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, and creative innovation and confidence. thinking, and creative innovation and confidence.
- 34. Why are we so hesitant to let our children play? Why were our childhoods so different than our children’s?
- 35. We believe that We believe that W ll W ll i t ti d t d t h i t ti d t d t h Well Well- -intentioned parents and teachers intentioned parents and teachers Have been misled by Have been misled by . . . Exaggerated science Societal forces Marketing ploys
- 36. Exaggerated Science Exaggerated Science Exaggerated Science Exaggerated Science R b th Remember the “Mozart Effect”?
- 37. The REAL evidence Professor Lois Hetland (Harvard): f ( ) examined 67 studies on the “Mozart Effect” with 4,564 adults “the existence of a short-lived effect by which music enhances . . . performance i d l d l d h in adults does not lead to the conclusion that exposing children to classical music will raise their classical music will raise their intelligence.”
- 38. Societal Forces Societal Forces Societal Forces Societal Forces Even comic strips reflect our insatiable appetite for Even comic strips reflect our insatiable appetite for products that will boost IQ and save our children from the fate of being *gasp* “normal.” From Baby Blues Reprinted with permission of King Features Syndicate
- 40. Marketing Ploys Marketing Ploys g y g y
- 41. In the remainder of this talk I will demonstrate . . . What 40 years of science in psychology has taught us about how to create children who have great outcomes in reading and math and who are creative lifelong learners.
- 42. The accumulated evidence suggests: The accumulated evidence suggests: gg gg 1 1 E l d ti ith i h t t i A talk in three parts 1. 1. Early education with rich content is important but . . . - How you learn is as important as what you learn. 2. E.Q. is as important as I.Q. 3. Each of us has a role to play in helping children become life-long learners. W ill - We are a village
- 43. Part 1 Part 1 Part 1 Part 1 E l d ti ith i h t t i 1. Early education with rich content is important. 2. E.Q. is as important as I.Q. p 3. Each of you has a role to play in helping children become life-long learners. - You are the village
- 44. Mountains of evidence suggest Mountains of evidence suggest h h that… that… Preschool experience dramatically increases Preschool experience dramatically increases children’s: Collaboration > Social skills by as much as 62% <Problem behaviors Communication > Language skills by 25% And in Content we see dramatic increases in >R din b 59% >Reading by 59% >Writing >Math by 50% US Head Start Data, 2002, 2005; High scope data Schweinhart, 2004; NIERR State reports, 2008; Pianta et al., 2010
- 45. To take one example from To take one example from l l i l l i language learning language learning Hart and Risley (1995) found that children from professional homes hear 2,153 words per hour while those from welfare homes hear only 616. homes hear only 616. Anne Fernald (2009) finds that the amount of language Anne Fernald (2009) finds that the amount of language heard influences mental processing efficiency And Martha Farah (Hackman & Farah, 2010) reports that by age 5 poor children’s brains differ from middle class children’s brains in areas of attention and language! So having programs with rich language content early matters for learning and school readiness!
- 46. Yet…. Yet…. Yet…. Yet…. It’ t j t h t l th t tt b t It’s not just what you learn that matters, but how you learn
- 47. We know, for example, that preschool children in highly academic, “drill and kill” learning i t environments are: M i More aggressive More anxious More perfectionistic More perfectionistic Than those who learn in playful environments Than those who learn in playful environments where learning is active and meaningful.
- 48. Comparisons between developmentally Comparisons between developmentally appropriate schools (DAP) and more traditional “academic” direct instruction (DI) schools tell the same story. Hirsh-Pasek, Golinkoff, Berk, & Singer. (2009). A mandate for playful learning in preschool: Presenting the evidence Oxford University Press Presenting the evidence. Oxford University Press.
- 49. DAP schools (sometimes called progressive ( p g schools) Have active learners M l f l l i ( id d l ) More playful learning (guided play) Whole child approach Integrated curricula Integrated curricula Discoverer/Explorer metaphor DI More passive learners Learning is more compartmentalized E t l t h Empty vessel metaphor
- 50. DAP schools offer DAP schools offer d i d i advantages in advantages in Social emotional development p > Emotional regulation < Child stress Burts, Hart, Charlesworth, Fleege, Mosley & Thomasson, 1992 Burts, Hart, Charlesworth, Fleege, Mosley & Thomasson, 1992 < Behavior problems Marcon, 1994, 1999, 2003 Marcon, 1994, 1999, 2003 > Motivation for school Hirsh Hirsh- -Pasek, 1991; Stipek et al., 1998 Pasek, 1991; Stipek et al., 1998 Academically y > Reading and math scores Stipek, Feiler, Byler, Ryan, Milburn, and Salmon (1998); Marcon (1999, 2003) These advantages last into the primary grades
- 51. One recent study… One recent study… One recent study… One recent study… C l b t d M t i d ti th Celebrated a Montessori education over the more traditional education. Montessori l d l t ll classrooms are more developmentally appropriate. They embrace a metaphor of l i th t i l f l i hi h learning that is more more playful in which children are active and less passively i l d i l i involved in learning. --Lillard & Else-Quest, 2006
- 52. The results suggested that… The results suggested that… The results suggested that… The results suggested that… Child i M t i l t 5 Children in Montessori classrooms at age 5 yrs. did… Better in academic tasks like reading and math Better in academic tasks like reading and math Better in social tasks that required positive peer play Better in tasks that required attention to another person’s beliefs At age 12 years these children At age 12 years these children… Liked school more Were more creative in their writing Did better in reading and math
- 53. WHY??? WHY??? WHY??? WHY??? Because the children were more actively engaged and learned y g g through play
- 54. And yet another recent study And yet another recent study (Diamond, Barnett, Thomas & Munro, Science, 2007) Found that playful learning through the Tools of the Mind p y g g f Program helped children develop executive function skills (EF) like inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility. g y These skills are highly correlated with fluid intelligence and outcomes in math and reading and outcomes in math and reading. When teachers promote these skills through playful -- p g p y planful learning throughout the day, children’s outcomes on standardized tests increase -- even for poor children. . Can the right kinds of play teach self-control? NYTimes Sept 25, 2009
- 55. And a final study And a final study And a final study And a final study Looked across 164 studies to ask whether children learned best in explicit instruction, playful learning (discovery learning) or through play alone and found… DRUMROLL PLEASE That playful learning or discovery learning trumped the th d i ! other pedagogies! Alfieri et al., 2010
- 56. A perfect day for our children A perfect day for our children, then, includes playful learning Free play (choice time), Where children choose their own activities And (importantly) guided play or discovery learning where adults subtly guide children’s discovery by Putting toys around the room that encourage discovery of shape or number Are play partners who build on children’s interest and questions
- 57. This is a key point! This is a key point! This is a key point! This is a key point! Play and learning are NOT incompatible y g p Play is not merely free time with no objectives! Play can be -- if used properly, a powerful pedagogical approach that will INCREASE children’s performance in approach that will INCREASE children s performance in literacy, math and even science all the way through the primary grades and beyond! Some examples??
- 58. In language and reading… In language and reading… In language and reading… In language and reading… Telling stories (in many languages) Word play p y (what rhymes with “hat”?) Singing songs Di l i l di Dialogical reading Reading product labels Engaging conversations g g g Dramatic play (Christie)
- 59. READING IS NOT READING IS NOT READING IS NOT READING IS NOT Phonics without fun Simply memorizing the alphabet or a set of disjointed vocabulary words It’s a meaningful, engaged activity where children ask questions and go beyond the pages of the book ask questions and go beyond the pages of the book.
- 60. An example from An example from h h our own research our own research On e-books and t-books On e books and t books Research supported in part by Fisher-Price Toys
- 61. E-books are now in 95% of the homes of parents we d surveyed Yet, when parents read t-books with preschool aged children The reading experiences they h d f l share are predictive of later literacy A dialogic reading style has been shown to effectively improve y reading and school outcomes Contributes to language development
- 62. Do e-book consoles promote the kind of dialogic parent-child interactions that predict later literacy? parent child interactions that predict later literacy?
- 63. No! No! No! No! When 80, 3-and 5-year olds were randomly assigned to read h d b k i h h i hild f d h matched e- or t-books with their children, we found that… When reading t-books: P t t lk MORE b t th Parents talk MORE about the story Parents talk LESS about behavior Parents talk LESS about behavior Parents say MORE that goes “beyond the story” beyond the story
- 64. In a follow In a follow- -up study we also up study we also f d f d found… found… That children reading t-books were better able to: able to: T ll h l li Tell us the plot line Remember the sequences of events in the t story
- 65. Why?? Why?? Why?? Why?? When children are engaged with us g g When the book is meaningful When they are not distracted by the pop- When they are not distracted by the pop- up, bells and whistles A d when we are there t hi hli ht th And when we are there to highlight the important messages… They learn better! y
- 66. In math and spatial skills In math and spatial skills In math and spatial skills In math and spatial skills Finding patterns Dividing candy and sharing Squire & Bryant, 2002 q y Sorting trail mix “I spy” Pl i ith bl k & Playing with blocks & trains Conversations Playing board games Ramani & Siegler, 2008 Puzzles Puzzles
- 67. MATH IS NOT MATH IS NOT MATH IS NOT MATH IS NOT Memorizing equations Memorizing equations 1 + 1 = 2 Flashcards of numbers Or toys that only promote one right answer
- 68. An example from p our own research Spatial learning with blocks Research supported in part by Mega Bloks See also Levine, Huttenlocher, Cannon, Pruden, Ratliff & Saunders, 2008
- 69. When parents engaged in When parents engaged in id d l i h hild id d l i h hild guided play with children… guided play with children… They use richer spatial vocabulary and build a foundation for later math and spatial skills! p And that language is related to better spatial tasks that feed into the STEM disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Levine et al., 2008)
- 70. As Einstein once said… As Einstein once said… As Einstein once said… As Einstein once said… "The only thing that interferes that interferes with my learning is my education " is my education.
- 71. How How you learn is as important as you learn is as important as what what you learn you learn y p y p y y PLAY = LEARNING PLAY = LEARNING PLAY LEARNING PLAY LEARNING
- 72. Part 2 Part 2 Part 2 Part 2 1 1 How you learn is as important as what 1. 1. How you learn is as important as what you learn. 2. E.Q. is as important as I.Q. 3.Each of us has a role to play in helping children become intelligent and happy children become intelligent and happy.
- 73. A tale of two Spocks A tale of two Spocks Dr. Benjamin Spock got it all along: social and emotional skills matter -- a lot Mr. Spock did not get it: He is all intelligence and no social skills
- 74. Scientific evidence also points to the power of p p social skills for emotional health and intellectual growth! From the last two decades of research, it is unequivocally clear that hild ’ ti l d b h i l g children’s emotional and behavioral adjustment is important for school success. Raver, 2003 Social, emotional learning (SEL) programs… enhanced student’s behavioral adjustment…reduced conduct … problems d i d d i f and improved academic performance… Gordon et al., in press And Illinois was the first to put in standards for SEL!
- 75. For example… For example… For example… For example… Parental talk about emotions creates children who are more sensitive to others’ emotions. “How would you feel if she took your bear?” ”
- 76. And children with social emotional control And children with social emotional control d b tt i h l d b tt i h l do better in school…. do better in school…. Mischel et.al., (1989) for a review Guess what happened over time!!!!! Those who waited scored over 200 points better on their SATs? Those who waited scored over 200 points better on their SATs? Eigsti, et al., 2006
- 77. Further, we can teach Further, we can teach i l l i l l emotional control emotional control Through children’s play
- 78. EQ and emotional control does not EQ and emotional control does not develop on its own develop on its own develop on its own develop on its own Children learn it from adults Children learn it from other children Children learn it through PLAY: Free and guided Tan-Niam, 1997
- 79. Part 3 Part 3 Part 3 Part 3 1 Early education is important but 1.Early education is important but . . . - How you learn is more important than what you learn learn. 2 E Q is as important as I Q 2. E.Q. is as important as I.Q. 3 Each of us has a role to play in helping 3.Each of us has a role to play in helping children become happy and intelligent.
- 80. ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ ’ It takes a village to raise a child Ancient African Proverb Ancient African Proverb
- 81. “Learning is the heartbeat of a strong society.” “Learning is the heartbeat of a strong society.” g g y g g y Andrea Camp
- 82. Or put simply Or put simply --- --- Or put simply Or put simply The schools cannot do this alone. Successful education demands that we have a parents involved as partners with schools and a community that focuses on children and f ili Illi i h b l d h t ! families. Illinois has been a leader here too! Did you know that – counting recess and vacations) only 16% of a child’s average day is spent in school?
- 83. A Huge GAP A Huge GAP A Huge GAP A Huge GAP What we know in science… What we do
- 84. It is time to bridge the GAP! It is time to bridge the GAP! It is time to bridge the GAP! It is time to bridge the GAP! What we know… What we do What we know… What we do
- 85. The science seems to… The science seems to… The science seems to… The science seems to… Offer virtual consensus that children who have time to discover and explore through play l kill i d f i th l b l learn skills required for success in the global world.
- 86. Thus, in Thus, in Einstein Never Used Flash Cards Einstein Never Used Flash Cards Thus, in Thus, in Einstein Never Used Flash Cards Einstein Never Used Flash Cards We, Bridge the gap between science and practice p Show how children really learn Give real life examples that can be used in the school room and in the living room (as well as in the library, museum and media)
- 87. And we published And we published And we published And we published To lay forth the evidence about how play encourages social and academic development
- 88. Then we published… Then we published… Then we published… Then we published… So that parents and teachers could better understand the learning evident even in the early swooshes and swipes of scribbled art.
- 89. And last year we published And last year, we published
- 90. In October of 2010, we also put this science in the hands of families in Central Park for children 0-12! And there is already a movement to bring the event to Chicago
- 91. 50,000 + The science of learning in action
- 92. Our point? Our point? Playful learning can help children develop 21st Playful learning can help children develop 21 century skills in collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation and confidence. It is now our job to use play as a key pedagogy for education and an acceptable i f d hild pastime for parents and children .
- 93. In the knowledge era … In the knowledge era … In the knowledge era … In the knowledge era … A child must do more than just learn the facts; than just learn the facts; she must integrate those facts into a creative framework that solve tomorrow’s problems
- 94. To reach her potential as a productive To reach her potential as a productive i i i h 2040 i i i h 2040 citizen in the year 2040… citizen in the year 2040… she needs to have a high-quality early education that will prepare y p p her as a thinker in the workplace of tomorrow. We know what that workplace will demand (The 6 Cs) and we k h i k i know what it takes to raise intelligent, well-adjusted, successful adults.
- 95. As Einstein said, As Einstein said, As Einstein said, As Einstein said, "Imagination is more Imagination is more important than knowledge."