| A Child's work | | | | COPING SKILLS |
| Every parent wants to see their kid excel at what | | | | Growing up is an exciting and scary venture. Consider |
| they do. As parents, we spend time reading to them, | | | | a child's first day of school. A soon-to-be |
| helping them learn the alphabet, teaching them math, | | | | kindergartener may ask himself, "Is the teacher going |
| and enrolling them in the very best schools possible. | | | | to be nice?" Or "Will I be able make friends that will |
| While all of these thing are important, Vivian Gussin | | | | play with me. These are just a few questions that |
| Paley suggest that children's work is to play! Vivian, | | | | kindergarteners might ask themselves. Paley recounts |
| who has been teaching kindergarten and nursery for | | | | a story of a boy named Elliot with these same fears. |
| thirty seven years, has studied children develop as | | | | The day before Elliot goes to school, he tells his |
| they play fantasy with other children. (Fantasy play | | | | mother a story of a boy who sees his new teacher |
| is...) Vivian suggests that children who play fantasy | | | | and runs away out of fear. Later that evening he |
| learn skills that will stay with them through out their | | | | retells his story and than acts it out with his sister. |
| lives. | | | | After telling and act out his story he seemed ok with |
| PLAYFUL IMAGERY | | | | the idea of going to school. As children tell and act |
| Have you ever taken the time to watch children | | | | out their story, they have an incredible ability to |
| pretend to battle with a dragon, dance like a ballerina, | | | | work through the problem on their own. |
| act like a character from their favorite book? Have | | | | COMMUNICATION |
| you noticed how creative they become and how | | | | Another wonderful benefit of fantasy play is its |
| quickly they jump from story to story? Paley states | | | | ability to teach children how to communicate with |
| that "children are intoxicated by the seemingly | | | | other children. Communication is a skill that will be |
| endless supply of plots available just for the thinking. | | | | important through out everyone life. Vivian asked |
| Making up stories is the skill most admired by other | | | | mentors of a head start program what aspect of |
| children, who do not doubt the value of characters | | | | classroom practice concerns them the most. They |
| who jump higher than the moon during school time. ... | | | | responded Ã’ Conversation! We don't hear |
| The mind that has been freely associating with | | | | good conversations. There are mostly one-line |
| playful imagery is primed to tackle new ideas. Fantasy | | | | questions and answers, but the teachers don't simply |
| play, rather than being a distraction, helps children | | | | converse with the children. And they don't encourage |
| achieve the goal of having an open mind, whether in | | | | children to talk to one another, either." Fantasy play |
| the service of further storytelling or in formal | | | | starts with one person ideas and than it snowballs as |
| lessons." How can an open mind and a good | | | | other children had in their own little twists. As they |
| imagination help with formal lessons? Take for | | | | change the story line they learn how to communicate |
| example learning a physics concept. If you can | | | | with other and how to work with other ideas. Sound |
| visualize the concept, then the concept is easier to | | | | like a great way to teach children how to |
| remember and understand. While those concepts that | | | | communicate with their friends. Vivian states that |
| are to abstract to visualize, are difficult to understand | | | | "the need to tell one another a story exerts a |
| and soon will be forgotten. A vivid imagination can | | | | tremendous pull among children, powerful enough to |
| help a child conquer many difficult subject such as | | | | overcome shyness and the fear of the unknown. |
| chemistry, physics, and even math. | | | | |