Directive play in a very young learners teaching context: expectations and strategies
Currently teaching very young learners at the age of three, I am struggling with the following situation: I see myself expecting the kids to produce a quantity of "results" that might not be fair to any of us. I get frustrated because I want to make sure the planning works accordingly; they get frustrated because they notice how I feel: love and exchange are important pillars to build a good rapport with learners in general - even more when the students are so little. Keeping these issues in mind, I have decided to educate myself instead of educating the kids. It happened when I realized - through experience and feedback from other professionals, that playing can be more than chill time. It can be a powerful tool in order to build the kids’ confidence and improve their motor, emotional and cognitive skills. Also, playing can provide teachers with information they would not be able to access in such a natural way. When playing, kids show who they are and how they see...