Article Link: http://stage.exchangepress.com/article/a-manner-of-speaking/5010528/
Picture it this way: A hot, dusty, worn patch of dirt. Chain link fence. A few scrubby bushes. Cement steps and assorted other hazards. Several preschoolers. And me. We eased our way into the sunshine. They knew the way.My first day as a substitute in this particular early childhood program - it was good to be outdoors.
In mere minutes, arguments erupted around the playground - a dispute over the tricycle, tears, kicking up rocks and dirt, runaway and teasing games, mean faces.
I was the teacher! I needed to do something, but where to begin? I initiated a game of Duck-Duck-Goose. Only two children wanted to play. We tried Follow the Leader, Simon Says, Red Light-Green Light, and every other game I could remember. Every idea died quickly. I couldn't tease their interest, and outdoor playtime ended in frustration for everyone.
Pondering my inability to facilitate a joyful morning for these children, it eventually occurred to me to think about the environment. There were 11 children, one riding toy, a worn natural setting. Absent were shade, loose parts, equipment - in short, things to do. ...