If you’re in NYC and would like to help us in planning the campaign to protect play and experiential learning in PreK – 2 classrooms, please register to join us.

                                                      ALSO , PLEASE SIGN OUR OPEN LETTER TO PROTECT PLAY!

Sign Our Open Letter to Protect Play
AN OPEN LETTER TO PROTECT PLAY AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Dear Mayor Mamdani and Chancellor Samuels,

We are educators and parents/caregivers who write to implore you to protect play and experiential learning in the early childhood grades in our public schools.

In recent years, our nation’s focus on meeting standards in English language arts, mathematics, and other content areas has led to changes in learning environments for young children: away from opportunities for inquiry, active, play-based and project-based learning to teacher-directed instruction of mandated, scripted curricula and preparation for standardized tests.

However, research from the science of learning – understandings from the neurological, biological, and developmental sciences confirm that active learning and play-based experiences are a critical component of how young children learn. It is through what people call play- active, exploratory, inquiry learning opportunities grounded in children’s interests and questions, and that are responsive to children’s cultural and linguistic backgrounds that the brain is developed. The neural connections resulting from these active experiences translate to building and strengthening children’s content knowledge, language, and physical, social, and emotional competencies.

Play is recognized by the United Nations as a fundamental right of children everywhere. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play gives children the opportunity to develop their creativity and imagination, as well as physical, cognitive, and emotional strength.
We therefore respectfully call on those responsible for the policies that guide education in our centers and schools to create laws/policies that support and protect play and experiential learning opportunities for all young children.

Several states have already passed legislation in this vein, most notably Massachusetts, Connecticut, Oregon, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma.

WE CALL ON The New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) TO:
*Support research-confirmed practices that are developmentally-appropriate for the globally recognized early childhood years (birth- age 8):

*Provide prek and kindergarten children with opportunities to experience child-initiated play during the instructional time of each regular school day.

*Permit teachers to utilize experiential learning and play-based learning during the instructional time of a regular school day for all students in grades one to five.

*Provide teachers with the opportunity to adjust instruction and curriculum to be responsive to children’s understandings, questions, interests, languages, and cultures.

Play is critical to healthy brain development. Play is not a distraction from learning. It is the intellectual work of children and the means by which they become thinkers, creators, and members of a democratic society. If we are to live up to the ideals of public education as a democratic institution, we must recognize the profound importance of play, not just as a pedagogical choice, but as a matter of educational justice, human development, and social progress.

We thank you for your leadership and urge you to use these science-based recommendations to help you guide your administration’s educational priorities.

Sincerely,



* Indicates required question
Sign with your Name, title/affiliation, here
*

Add your email here
*