My Connections to Play

Quotes on Play
 

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”

Plato

“In play a child always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behavior. In play it is as though he were a head taller than himself.”

Lev Vygotsky

“It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them.”

Leo F. Buscaglia

"For children, play is as natural as breathing—and as necessary."

Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld,
U.S. early childhood educator and author


My Childhood Play
Outdoors, in the mountains during summers, I used to enjoy most of all:

Bike rides with my brother.My brother and I would take our bikes and go out exploring until the sun sets and we had to go back. The weather in the mountains in Lebanon used to be so fresh and my favorite time was when the fog covered the streets and I would be lost amidst it…

 

 Watching ants work. The ant world was so amazing to me that I used to spend hours watching them in action. Until now, as a grown up, if an ant caught my attention, it is bound to distract me from whatever I was doing…

Indoors, my favorite things to do were completing puzzles and playing board games with my siblings and my dad, who was a full-time parent and welcomed playing with us. We played Backgammon, Checkers, Risk, etc…

Trivial pursuit was my favorite. I loved learning new information about other countries and other worlds. I love this game so much that I bought it for my kids as a video game…

 

Barbie dolls. The things that really attracted me to Barbie were the tiny props and gadgets. When I could not really afford to buy the big fancy doll house, I remember building it using different material I found lying around. I used to spend hours taking up roles and making stories using my dolls. When my parents did buy me a small doll house eventually, I kept using old material to build new furniture all the time. I also made outfits out of old rags. The whole process was actually more fun than playing.

Come to think of it now, I think this had a lot to do with me going into Interior design and Art major.

Thoughts on Play

I believe that because I was a child who grew up during the war, the actual times that I was given the opportunities to play were extremely valuable to me; and I did not take them for granted. Spending quality time with my dad and the chance I had to bond with my brother and sisters were significant contributors to my healthy development. Even the times I had spent alone making up scenes and stories as I played with my dolls, were times, I know now, that I was building up my social skills and enhancing my creativity.

It is just sad that children today lack so many opportunities and spaces to engage in self- initiated play. Due to more exposure to TV, video games, and computer tablets, children’s play nowadays revolves around toys rather than on play itself. It is always the new toy in a commercial, or a new super hero, or a T.V. character. When I see my children still engaging in dramatic play, or playing hide & Seek and Dodge Ball, I feel there is still hope in this world. I know this will significantly contribute to their creative sense and social skills. Play in childhood plays a critical role in shaping the person one becomes as an adult. As educators, we have the responsibility to nurture this aspect of children’s growth and provide them with means that allow them to explore and create.

 

Relationship Reflection

My Circle of Support

My most important relationship that accompanies me in celebrating triumphs and sustaining adversity is my relationship with God, the most Gracious, the most Merciful. I feel that He is with me in whatever I do, and that gives me enormous strength to overcome hardship. Whether at home or in the classroom, I feel that I can always turn to Him for guidance and inspiration. This has helped me endure many challenges throughout my life.

My role model: Mom's strength and vigor have always been my energy source. The way she has faced adversity and endured hardship was always what kept me going when I encountered obstacles along my way. She has always had high expectations for me and constantly believed in my ability to accomplish great things. Much more than I ever did! Nonetheless, her confidence has motivated me to keep going. Her latest accomplishment was impelling me to get my masters degree.

My little sister: Rola has been my protégée as she was growing up, and now she has turned into a prudent woman, whom I am so proud to be her sister. She is so kind-hearted and sympathetic to anyone who is disadvantaged or distressed. Her compassion and benevolence have been a constant incentive to me. Even though she lives in another country, her decency and grace touch my life on a daily basis.

The Head of Kindergarten Program: Nasseema has been my professional and spiritual mentor for more than 14 years. Because of her extensive knowledge and great prudence, I have been able to gain invaluable knowledge and deep insight; on educational issues as well as personal matters. Her empathic nature has enabled her to reach out to hundreds of children and families, and we are all grateful for her existence in our Iives.

The English coordinator for the Kindergarten department: My adviser and true confidante for the last 16 years. Zena has been my mentor throughout my teaching years. Right from the start, she took me in and recognized the potential in me. She has been strict, yet indulgent. Demanding, yet extremely patient and constructive. She has given me guidance and support, and I owe her so much more than words can express. She is the very reason I am the mindful teacher I am.

My relationship with my family, particularly my children is one that is different in nature than all other relationships I have; in caring for them I acquire tremendous strength and great inspiration. I am so grateful for the opportunity I am granted through them to make worthy contributions and add valuable benefits to another being. I sense a similar excitement when I see that I am able to impart wisdom and compassion to my students in class.