By: Lisa Cranston, Ed.D.
When I first began teaching kindergarten many years ago, my teaching partner and I spent the summer setting up the classroom with a wide variety of learning centres – block play, dramatic play, water table, book centre, playdough table, and so on. Once the classroom was ready for students, I went to our board’s media centre and cut out lots of teddy bears from laminated blue bristol board and brought them back to the classroom. There were two smocks for the water play table, so we posted two bears there to indicate only two children could play at the water table. Three chairs and three placemats fit perfectly at the play dough table so three bears were posted at the play dough table. Four chairs around the table in the dramatic play centre, so we decided four students would be a good limit for that centre and up went four laminated little bears.
When the students began school, my teaching partner and I explained to the students about the bears and how many students could play in each centre. If there was no room for them to play at a centre, we discussed what they could do instead: choose another centre, wait for a turn. But what happened was that students would be engaged happily in play until someone noticed that they had strayed over the limit. Five students would be contentedly playing in the dramatic centre, then suddenly someone would realize there were more kids than teddy bears.
Student: There’s five people in here and there’s only supposed to be four! He has to leave. He got here last. He can’t be here.
Student 2: She’s had a long turn…
Educator: It seems like you were all able to play in the house centre with five people. We’ll let Student 2 stay and we’ll have five people in dramatic play today.
Instead of engaging in play and conversation with students, observing and documenting their learning, my teaching partner and I found ourselves policing the number of students at each centre. After a month or two, we realized it was time to rethink our practice. We removed the laminated bears and talked with the children about being safe in the classroom – what might that look like or sound like in each centre? And then we held our breath and waited to see what would happen.
Quickly, the children took ownership of managing the number of students at each centre. A wonderful example of how well students could manage and negotiate the learning centres and spaces occurred when the students were presented with an exciting new dramatic play opportunity. The dramatic play centre had been transformed into a Burger King by our high school coop student with trays, food containers, fake food, a cash register and other materials. (Note: this was many years ago. Now we would co-create the dramatic play centres with the children). Not surprisingly, after our morning meeting, a very large group of children descended upon the dramatic play centre. We waited and watched, wondering if we should intervene.
Some of the children immediately engaged in play in the dramatic play centre. Another small group of children gathered some of the restaurant materials and took them to the block centre, which was next to the dramatic play area, and began to create a restaurant in the block centre. A few students took some of the materials from dramatic play and moved to a table where they could use the materials independently. Still other students decided to go elsewhere and play, seemingly deciding to wait until later for a turn in the dramatic play centre. Within a few minutes, everyone was engaged in play somewhere in the classroom without any assistance from us.
At our closing circle that day, we talked with the students about how popular the dramatic play centre had been and the strategies we saw them using. We asked them how we could make sure that everyone who wants a turn would be able to have one, and they decided to use a clipboard, paper and pencil to create a sign-up sheet. In the past, my teaching partner and I would have determined how many students were allowed in the dramatic play centre, we would have chosen a strategy for ensuring everyone had a turn if they wanted one, and we would have missed out on giving our students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their self-regulation skills.
Looking back on this shift in dramatic play in our classroom through a Self-Reg lens, I can see how students were able to choose a learning environment that felt safe for them. Some students were very comfortable in the seemingly crowded dramatic play centre on Day One of Burger King. Other students found this too stressful – whether from the noise of so many students engaged in play at once, the lack of space caused by so many bodies in a small space, the social and prosocial demands of engaging in play and negotiating the use of play materials with so many classmates, or a combination of these and other stressors.
When my teaching partner and I created the size limits in the centres at the beginning of the school year, we focused on the size of the space and the amount of materials available for students based on our perceptions of what we would find stressful. We didn’t consider that when students are highly engaged in play, they may be comfortable in what we would regard as a stressful, crowded space.
In our classroom, removing arbitrary limits on the number of students at each centre reduced stress for students and educators. We could focus on engaging in learning with the students, not counting how many students were at each centre. Students could select centres based on their own needs, strengths and interests, as well as their comfort level with the size of the group at the centre rather than adhering to our predetermined limits.
As each of us reflect on our practice, and the rules and routines in our classrooms, we must ask ourselves, “Is this increasing or decreasing stress for the students? Is this increasing or decreasing stress for the educators?” What current practices can we rethink, revise or remove to reduce stress for students and educators?“ This ongoing reflection allows us to co-create a less stressful learning environment where children and educators can flourish.
Lisa Cranston has over thirty years of experience as an educator in Southwestern Ontario. She spent the last eleven years of her career in education as the educational consultant for kindergarten and primary grades, leading the implementation of Full Day Kindergarten for her school board from 2010 – 2015. Now retired, she is an online course facilitator for the MEHRIT Centre. Lisa believes that Shanker Self-Reg® has changed how she views both her own behaviour and that of others, and her goal is to help others to ‘lend their calm’ to those around them.
37 Comments
This is a practice that my teaching partner and I have used in the past, limiting the number of children in areas of the room. As you have seen, this can cause more undue stress on the children as they wait anxiously for a turn and may not get to where they would like to play. Definitely, it opens the door to many children entering the blue brain rather than keeping in the red brain during a time where we would like to see them engaged in play and happy.
We have since removed this practice and at times will see 5-7 children building a amazing structure with the blocks. Listening to them engage in conversation and watching the team building is far more enjoyable for us as educators than constantly monitoring the number of children allowed in a play area. As huge stress reliever for both educator and student.
This is a great example of how we can let children plan and regulate their own play. How often we set rules and parameters that could stunt growth and development.
This was a great article. How often do we set up our classrooms with the intent of having them set up in the child’s best interest, when in fact it may cause them lack of interest or even stress.
I like to spend time playing with and observing children and then bringing in things based on their interest. Together we establish what it should /could look like for them.
I worked in large daycare centre for seven years. This was a strategy that they chose to do. I struggled with it. We were constantly counting children and telling them they had to find something else to do until there was spot for them. And your right! It also caused arguments among the children. Later on, I opened my own centre and I chose not to do this. The children were fine. They worked it our themselves. If they wanted something from the centre, but the centre was really busy, they would remove the object they wanted and play with it somewhere less busy. There was no arguing, and I wasn’t always watching and counting and telling a child they needed to move to a different centre. I like this approach 100%!
Thanks Sharla for sharing your experiences! I’m thinking about the possible stressors at play when we restrict numbers like this. What do you think might be some of them? It’s great to hear that students remove objects and go to play elsewhere if needed. I wonder if we can support this for some children at times, if required. Could this be Co-Reg in action? Thoughts?
Aviva
This is a great example of letting children be part of how learning happens in the classroom. As educators we always think that we know best: by setting so many rules and regulations in the classroom play experience, but this is a perfect example to show that once we put the children in charge of their play experience they stress level in the classroom is basically reduce to zero most of the time.
Such a great point, Edem! Thanks for sharing your reflections here. Do you have any classroom examples of times where giving students control helped reduce the classroom stress? I’d love to hear them!
Aviva
I agree. Children can express their feelings threw play. This is a great way to express how learning happens.
Thanks Tracy! What are some ways that you have seen this happen? I would love to hear more.
Aviva
Reminds me of when I became interested in risky play and the benefits of it. My comfort level was higher than other children and educators, needed communication and understanding to find balance of feeling safe and to experience different levels of risk. Giving children control, negotiating with other educators to gauge how much or little risk we, as a program, would offer and why, Different for each experience and opportunity so always having to share and collaborate.
Such great points here, Mikala! Knowing that this is how you felt when it came to risky play, how did you support other educators in understanding your perspective? Have you been able to shift practice? How? I’d love to hear more!
Aviva
One of my favourite risky play activities is hammers and nails. I provide wood, a variety of foams(different types of insolation), egg cartons,etc. I add plastic hammers, real ones, varing handle weights and lengths. golf tees, roofing nails and longernnails with foam protectors on them. Children use safety googles… and gloves if they wish. I put these things out and let children decide if they would like to use them. Almost all of the children choose real hammers.
Some of they parents object to this activity but when e talk about the benifits the usually allow it.
Thanks for your comment, Ingrid! I always loved doing something similar when teaching kindergarten. Have you ever brought hammers outside and got students to hammer in the dirt? You don’t even need to use real nails for this. So many kids found this to be a calming option. Curious to hear if you’ve tried it.
Aviva
Love it, let the children determine what they are comfortable with. After all they know themselves better than anyone.
Jo-Anna, I think that there’s something to be said for this. If problems do arise, I wonder if we could support the conversation about how to solve them instead of limiting numbers for the students. What do you think?
Aviva
This is a very thorough reflection. At the beginning you consider the environment of learning for children. Once you relaized the limits is not going to meet children’s learning needs. And then you and your teaching partner talked to students about how to solv the problems. It turns out children created a “sign-up” sheet. At the end, you have noticed that children have different tolerance levels. I love your observation and strategies from your practice.
Thanks for your comment, Vivian! I love your reflection on the post. Have you ever tried something like this before? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
Aviva
taking down the limitation has decreased the stress. Yes I think back in the day we would set limitation on the children that where very unnecessary. It was more of a crowd control then a play experience. Having the children be the once making the choices gives them a senses of belonging and pride
Thanks for sharing, Lesley! Do you still find that many reduce numbers in spaces? Why might this be? How might we be able to support others in seeing the value of letting kids work it out? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Aviva
This is interesting has it is common for children to fight saying ” i want his bike… or i was here first” reducing the amount of kids helps them see that with patience Ur turn will come. Some will be stressed being alone while with others, this way we can also see who works better at what situations. the best way to develop is by try and error. this is how us educators learn and it goes a long way for the children’s education.
Thanks for your comment, Emmy! I can definitely see how fewer people could help. Do you find this approach works for everyone? Are there additional supports that some students need? I would love to hear more about your experiences.
Aviva
Great example ! I think letting the children decide is great strategy , they feel proud and confident when they make a great choice .
Thanks for your comment! How might you help guide children if deciding for themselves proves challenging? Thoughts?
Aviva
Let children decide what feels right for them, as they understand themselves better than anyone else.
Thanks for sharing, KK! If child struggles with this, how might co-regulation help? Thoughts?
Aviva
I love that idea! Giving children the freedom to make their own choices is a powerful strategy. It helps them feel proud and confident when they make a good decision. Allowing them to determine what they’re comfortable with acknowledges that they know themselves better than anyone else. It’s a great way to empower them!
Thanks for your comment! I really like your thinking here. I wonder about the times when children struggle with figuring out how to navigate the numbers or how to navigate the play. How might you get involved while still giving them ownership over the final decision? Any thoughts?
Aviva
This is an amazing example of how childcare has changed over the years.
I started out 24 years ago and we used to limit the children and do themes.
Now the children help to plan and implement activities and choose where they will play.
Thanks for your reply, Shona! It is amazing to see how many changes there have been in childcare over the years. How might we support students that struggle with this kind of independence? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Aviva
Making decisions on their own makes children more confident, as they gain a better understanding of themselves and become quicker decision-makers. Somehow, it develops critical thinking about the world.
Thanks for your comment, PP! How do you scaffold for children who might find this more challenging? How much of a struggle do you let them have? I would we curious to hear your thoughts about this.
Aviva
I think following children in play, providing ways to extend their imaginations, they set the limits that are safe and I think providing a wide variety of activities can be too stimulating but I don’t think I should decide this. I think letting children find solutions, remedies and working together to solve, make better or enhance an activity or area of development should all be child led. It’s my job to extend, expand and teach children to think outside of the box. Help them learn their comfort levels, provide quiet areas so they can retreat and re-fuel that’s what they need. Help them to recognize how they feel and model ways to express ourselves through art, free play, verbal expression etc…
Thanks Julie for sharing your thinking on this! How do you help students work through these problems and recognize what works well for them? I would love to hear more.
Aviva
with 40+ years experience in childcare I”ve witnessed many many different strategies and teaching styles, back in the 80’s 90’s these limits were the “norm”. the hard part for me is when there is only ONE educator who is receptive……….
Thanks for your comment, Cheryl. I can understand how this could be a challenge. What might you do in this case? I wonder if viewing educator responses through a stress response lens, might make a difference. Thoughts?
Aviva
This is a great way to express How Learning Happens. Us as teachers can observe what they are playing and allow the children to play play play. Its also a great activity for the dramatic play center.
Thanks Tracy! I definitely agree with you about the value of play. What have you seen this looking like in the classroom? I would love to hear more.
Aviva