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has perhaps led to the decline of play, or at least child-directed play. The authors ground their work in the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child which states, “The child shall have full opportunity for play and recreation, which should be directed to the same purposes as education...to enable him to develop his abilities, his individual judgment, and his sense of moral and social responsibility, and to become a useful member of society (United Nations, 1959)” (Jones & Cooper, p. viii). Before embarking on the series of musings and classroom observations, which constitute the chapters of this persuasive and ultimately forceful book, readers are reminded by the authors of the stages of play children go through as they develop and acquire knowledge. Childhood sets the foundation for lifelong learning and attitudes in the future. Disrupting play in childhood disrupts vital thinking. Can this in truth be dangerous? The authors invite and indeed challenge the reader to peruse the book as a game, preparing strategies of application in their own minds as they first digest the “springboard stories” contained in each chapter, and later share their reflections with a colleague. This dynamic reading approach is carried out by the very conversational tone of the exposition and the role of storyteller assumed by the authors. The disequilibrium recommended as a part of learning is characteristic of this book. It is not a lazy read. Readers are expected to savor each statement and test its flavor against their own attitudinal palette. Jones and Cooper present assumptions that challenge curriculum planners and protest administrative dictates. By reading about others’ experiences, readers can reach a breakthrough understanding of difficult concepts. What are these difficult concepts? Some of them are: testing of young children; embedded knowledge; naming power, rules, and feelings; shared decision-making and making choices; interpreting play to outsiders and parents; and empathetic conflict resolution. This is not a typical problem-solving textbook; the structure consists of stories illustrating straightforward belief statements, which bring depth and humor to each premise so they remain vivid. In growing past infancy, children need many opportunities to get smart—to think, to reason, to argue, to experience the consequences of disobedience. The first responsibility of adults is to provide safe boundaries within which children can do these wonderful things. At the end of the book the authors outline “assumptions” of quality play as the “game rules” to guide the reading of the book. Because the child’s right to play as outlined by the United Nations still has not been ratified by the United States, it is up to early childhood educators and families to protect, promote, and preserve play. —Lita Haddal Editor, OMEP-US National Chapter Newsletter Child Care Information Center Madison, Wisconsin |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Dimensions on CD |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Tired of trying to find the journal to make paper copies of Dimensions articles? You’ll now be able to buy these articles on CD. Each CD will include 10 articles published within the last five years, as well as a SECA position statement on the issue. Use these CD’s for staff development, to replace paper course packets, or anywhere you would use copies of articles. #DCD 01 Dimensions on CD: Health, Development & Play #DCD 03 Dimensions on CD: Early Literacy & Language Development #DCD 02 Dimensions on CD: Math, Science and the Arts #DCD 04 Dimensions on CD: Staff Development & Professionalism $10.00 SECA Member/$12.00 Non-member (For a complete list of the articles included in each CD, go to www.SouthernEarlyChildhood.org, click on Dimensions, and you’ll find product information there.) 40 Volume 35, Number 1 DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD Winter 2007
Lakeshore is proud to present the SECA Preschool Math Kit Lakeshore will contribute 10% of the proceeds from the sales of this kit to SECA to help support their disaster recovery efforts. For more information or to place an order, please call: (800) 421- 5354 Ask for Customized Learning Solutions. SECA Preschool Math Kit Designed in conjunction with the Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA), this comprehensive kit contains an array of hands-on materials ideal for preschool settings, and Dr. Jean M. Shaw’s book Mathematics for Young Children. SECA is dedicated to serving educators and children in the southern United States. We commend SECA for their outstanding work and continued efforts in helping early childhood programs recover from the devastating hurricanes and prepare them for future emergencies. Item #KT346 $152.54 2695 E. Dominguez St., Carson, CA 90895 • www.lakeshorelearning.com ©Lakeshore S3664
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