PLC Series: Play as a Priority

Welcome to the Heinemann PD Professional Learning Community Series. This month, we share conversation about the role and necessity of play in learning.

One of the biggest challenges teachers have is prioritizing what goes into the classroom schedule. Often, elements held in our hearts as high priority get pushed aside due to priorities of other decision makers. Play is one such element, one that is not only a right of childhood, but an experience that develops and enhances children as humans and curious learners.

If you are looking to make the case for increased play in your classroom, you might be wondering: What is the research behind play and brain development? Which crucial skills do children learn from the various types of play?

In this clip from a webinar with Purposeful Play authors Kristi Mraz, Alison Porcelli, and Cheryl Tyler, Kristi tells us about some of the brain research and things to consider when making the time and space for play in your classroom.  Take a look!

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Looking for more PD on this topic?

Online: Webinars are a fantastic way to dig into topics for your professional development without a need for travel! Find out which webinars are coming up by clicking here.

Off-site: Which authors are coming to your area for one day workshops? Click here to browse the list by region, author, or state.

On-Site: Take a look at customized seminars, consulting authors and speakers, and residencies available to you by clicking here.

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Kristine Mraz (@MrazKristine) is coauthor of the new Purposeful Play, the book that helps you make play a powerful part of your teaching. Her previous title is the bestselling A Mindset for Learning (coauthored with Christine Hertz), which provides practical and powerful strategies for cultivating optimism, flexibility, and empathy alongside traditional academic skills. She is also coauthor—with Marjorie Martinelli—of Smarter Charts and Smarter Charts for Math, Science, and Social Studies. 

Kristi teaches Kindergarten in the New York City Public schools. In addition to writing and teaching, she consults in schools across the country and as far away as Taiwan. She primarily supports teachers in early literacy, play, and inquiry based learning. On the off chance she has free time, you'll find Kristi reading on a couch in Brooklyn with her dog and her husband. You can follow all of her adventures on Twitter or on her blog: kinderconfidential.wordpress.com.

Alison Porcelli (@AlisonPorcelli) is coauthor of Purposeful Play. She also coauthored A Quick Guide to Boosting English Acquisition in Choice Time, with Cheryl. Alison is Vice Principal at PS 59 in Manhattan and worked for eight years as a senior staff developer at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University, where she consulted nationally and internationally to bring exceptional literacy practices to schools. Before that, she was a kindergarten teacher. Alison's playground is in Bedford, NY where she resides with her husband, Tom, and son, Preston.

Cheryl Tyler (@CherylTyler11) is coauthor of Purposeful Play. She has worked extensively in New York City schools as a kindergarten teacher, staff developer, consultant, and the principal of PS 277 in the South Bronx. She is currently the director of Reading Rescue at Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. Cheryl and Alison are coauthors of A Quick Guide to Boosting English Acquisition in Choice Time, K-2.