Play in Vivian Paley’s The Boy Play in Vivian Paley’s The Boy Who Would be a HelicopterWho Would be a Helicopter

Reflection as part of Reflection as part of transformative practicetransformative practice– Paley reflects onPaley reflects on

The role of the teacherThe role of the teacher The role of playThe role of play The role of storyThe role of story

Text AnalysisText Analysis

MethodologyMethodology– Text analysis from a reading and Text analysis from a reading and

rereading of texts (Perakyla)rereading of texts (Perakyla)

PaleyPaley

Generally atheoretical-does not Generally atheoretical-does not mention theory in textmention theory in text– Draws on narrative theoryDraws on narrative theory– Draws on psychoanalytic theoryDraws on psychoanalytic theory

Dual methodologyDual methodology

Records children’s stories for Records children’s stories for acting outacting out

Uses a tape recorder which she Uses a tape recorder which she listens to later for datalistens to later for data

Dichotomies in teachingDichotomies in teaching

Adult perspective differs from child Adult perspective differs from child perspectiveperspective

Role of the teacherRole of the teacher

Teacher is out of stepTeacher is out of step ““In my early teaching years I was in the In my early teaching years I was in the

wrong forest. I paid scant attention to wrong forest. I paid scant attention to the play and did not hear the stories” the play and did not hear the stories” (p. 5). (p. 5).

““When I was a new teacher, it was the When I was a new teacher, it was the principal’s approval I sought. I was principal’s approval I sought. I was afraid of the children” (p. 122). afraid of the children” (p. 122).

““Those of us who presume to ‘teach’ Those of us who presume to ‘teach’ must not imagine that we know how must not imagine that we know how each student begins to learn” (p. 78). each student begins to learn” (p. 78).

PunishmentPunishment

““Teachers announce it, children respond to it…I Teachers announce it, children respond to it…I really think that punishing young children for really think that punishing young children for what they have not yet learned, about social what they have not yet learned, about social behavior or anything else, is completely behavior or anything else, is completely counterproductive. It creates no useful counterproductive. It creates no useful dialogue” (p. 87). dialogue” (p. 87).

““Having given up the time out chair, I needed to Having given up the time out chair, I needed to replace it with a consistent and positive replace it with a consistent and positive teaching strategy…I must not do to a child that teaching strategy…I must not do to a child that which I would not have done to me. As my which I would not have done to me. As my teaching errors have not been punishable by teaching errors have not been punishable by isolation, humiliation, and denial of activity, I isolation, humiliation, and denial of activity, I would not impose these sentences on children” would not impose these sentences on children” (pp 91-92). (pp 91-92).

Role of storyRole of story

Adult stories vs. the children’s Adult stories vs. the children’s storiesstories

Common culture but not Common culture but not controlledcontrolled

““The children like to dramatize books and The children like to dramatize books and fairy tales but are not dismayed if there fairy tales but are not dismayed if there is time only to read them. Acting them is time only to read them. Acting them out is better, but listening is usually out is better, but listening is usually enough. They feel quite differently about enough. They feel quite differently about their own stories” (p. 25). their own stories” (p. 25).

““Will my narration follow the “real” Will my narration follow the “real” events of the story? They take for events of the story? They take for granted that fairy tales have the power granted that fairy tales have the power to frighten them...fairy tales seem to to frighten them...fairy tales seem to have a life of their own, no matter how have a life of their own, no matter how the sympathetic adult attempts to shield the sympathetic adult attempts to shield the listener” (p. 153). the listener” (p. 153).

Children’s storiesChildren’s stories

““She writes, “Amazingly, children She writes, “Amazingly, children are born knowing how to put every are born knowing how to put every thought and feeling into story thought and feeling into story form.” (p. 4). form.” (p. 4).

““They are story tellers. It is their They are story tellers. It is their intuitive approach to all occasions. intuitive approach to all occasions. It is the way they think. …It makes It is the way they think. …It makes for a better story” (p. 17). for a better story” (p. 17).

Play is criticalPlay is critical

““Play…the universal learning Play…the universal learning medium” (p. 10) medium” (p. 10)

“ “Play and its necessary core of Play and its necessary core of storytelling are the primary storytelling are the primary realities in the preschool and realities in the preschool and kindergarten” (p. 6). kindergarten” (p. 6).

Adults and playAdults and play

““There is a tendency to look upon There is a tendency to look upon the noisy repetitious fantasies of the noisy repetitious fantasies of children as non-educational, but children as non-educational, but helicopters and kittens and helicopters and kittens and superhero capes and Barbie dolls superhero capes and Barbie dolls are storytelling aids and are storytelling aids and conversational tools” (p. 39). conversational tools” (p. 39).

““The children have many more safe The children have many more safe and ingenious ways to deal with and ingenious ways to deal with frustrations than I have” (p. 52). frustrations than I have” (p. 52).

Play as therapyPlay as therapy

Play also allows children to explore Play also allows children to explore their identity in a safe way. their identity in a safe way.

““Pretend...is the stage upon which Pretend...is the stage upon which any identity is possible and secret any identity is possible and secret thoughts can be safely revealed” thoughts can be safely revealed” (p. 7). (p. 7).

““The power of fantasy play to The power of fantasy play to restore balance and ballast can restore balance and ballast can never be overestimated” (p. 53). never be overestimated” (p. 53).

DiscussionDiscussion

Adult view and child view are Adult view and child view are differentdifferent– The role of the teacherThe role of the teacher– The role of storyThe role of story– The role of playThe role of play

Adult is out of stepAdult is out of step– Hands off view of play and storyHands off view of play and story