Role of play

I have been observing at many different locations, for different grades. I have been to Aldo in a Kindergarten class, and saw that it was a play based schools and the impact that it has on students. They are encouraged to use many different instruments to write with, with the main focus being that they are engaged in what they are doing. The students interact very well with one another, and take responsibility for what they are supposed to do. I noticed that the student hand out their own materials to one another, and work together. This reminds me of the importance of play, and how it allows students to work together and gain social skills. I also have been to Notre Dame academy in a 2nd grade classroom, and the atmosphere is much different than Aldo. Kids have to sit in desks, and use specific writing instruments. They have to do worksheets, and I noticed that these kids are a lot more fidgety than the kindergartners. When asked to do their work the kids kind of make a face, and you can tell that they are not enjoying themselves. At the children center, the room is divided up into centers, with different materials at the kids disposal. The kids are able to choose what they want to do, and they enjoy these activities. Having the room set up in this way, allows the kids with different learning styles to experience different ways of learning, but if they dont feel comfortable, they can do something more in their comfort zone.