Reclaiming childhood play experiences: Enhancing mathematical conceptual knowledge and understandings

Abstract

This paper is a consequence of a professional development conference that the author was invited to as a keynote speaker. Addressing one of the major conference themes: ‘Play is learning and meaningful’ that involved Cook Islands early childhood teachers from Aotearoa New Zealand and the Cook Islands, the examination of their understandings of play was a key focus (Leaupepe, 2011). The paper reflects the ways in which teachers have understood play and how they have made relevant connections to the essential learning areas noted in Te Whāriki, New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum framework, the New Zealand Curriculum and the Api’i Tamariki Potiki (ECE) Curriculum Development Draft, the Cook lslands early childhood document (Ministry of Education (MoE), 1996; 2005; 2007). The challenges that were posed for teachers related to their abilities to recognise the potential and possibilities that exists when children are engaged in play to explore further conceptual knowledge and understandings of these curriculum areas. Concentrating on the mathematics strand within these documents, the paper presents aspects of discussions held by teachers and delves into the tensions that arise when teachers’ expectations of meeting play-related requirements are conflicting. Added to this dilemma is the call for teachers to be adept with the necessary subject-content knowledge that supports children’s further investigations of mathematical concepts. What is highlighted from the conference was the need for teachers to revisit what was termed as ‘neglected knowledge’ concerning the notions of play, while giving equal attention to the necessity for teachers to engage with ongoing critical reflection. The paper concludes with the challenge for teachers to contemplate the re-examining and re-positioning of children’s play to being at the heart of curriculum planning decisions, and to take into account what this might mean for their practice.