Deck 4: Facilitating Young Childrens Work and Play

Question 1

Child-centered learning is interactive, involving learning between the child and the environment, the child and an adult, and the child and other children.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Telling children they are smart can give them the idea that intelligence is a fixed trait that can't be changed. Instead, educators should strive to acknowledge a child's effort, risk-taking or persistence.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Jean Piaget's theory supports the use of play as a developmentally appropriate practice for children's cognitive development.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

By the age of five, most children can understand and follow rules in order to play board games, cards, and organized sports.

Question 5

A noticeable mental shift occurs for children between the ages of five and seven, particularly with their abilities to understand and form abstractions.

Question 6

According to the text, play is the child's single most beneficial activity in an early childhood program.

Question 7

The three types of symbolic play are dramatic play, constructive play, and games with rules.

Question 8

Most young children are natural competitors and enjoy playing games where there is a clear "winner."

Question 9

When a child is intrinsically motivated, h/she is more concerned with doing a good job for him/herself, rather than receiving recognition or reward for the action.

Question 10

Children need to be praised for their process and effort in order to develop both grit (the ability to persevere in the face of challenging tasks for long term goals) and a growth mindset (a belief that intelligence is mutable).

Question 11

Author, Richard Louv, has written and spoken widely about a phenomenon known as the "nature deficit disorder,"
which refers to the idea that children spend increasingly more time indoors and have less exposure to nature.

Question 12

Reflective practice is beneficial because it allows a teacher to step back, think about a situation and, if necessary, formulate the best response to that situation.

Question 13

In the context of caring for children, praise and encouragement mean the same thing.

Question 14

The three-year-old children at Cloud Nine Preschool spend the majority of their time playing. Which area of their development does their play activity enhance?

A) physical and social.
B) emotional and cognitive.
C) physical, social, emotional, and cognitive.
D) Play, while fun, does not enhance any area of development.

Question 15

Kaitlyn is a recent graduate from an early childhood education program. She is taking her first job as lead teacher and coordinator of a community-based preschool program for 3- and 4-year-old children. Of the following roles, which is the least appropriate for Kaitlyn to take?

A) director
B) facilitator
C) responder
D) protector

Question 16

A class of two and three-year-olds at Ms. Cherry's Preschool is getting ready to take a field trip to the local supermarket. While the two teachers prepare the van, what is the best strategy for the student teacher to take while supervising the children?

A) Have the children sit in circle time and report what they did over the weekend.
B) Put on a puppet show for the children.
C) Allow the children to play in the classroom, while keeping a watchful eye, ready to intervene as necessary.
D) Stand the children in line, going over the safety rules and regulations for field trips.

Question 17

Of the following statements about play, which is/are TRUE?

A) Play helps children build knowledge by finding meaning in their own experiences instead of passively receiving information from teachers
B) Play helps children manage themselves, instead of depending on the teacher
C) Play helps children gain confidence and increase their self-esteem
D) All of the above

Question 18

According to the text, what is the best definition of "smart," according to authors Betty Jones and Renatta Cooper?

A) being able to score well on standardized tests
B) being able to memorize and repeat back facts
C) having a high IQ score
D) being skilled in curiosity and critical thinking

Question 19

Of the following statements about play, which is/are TRUE?

A) Compared to work, play is more literal
B) Compared to work, play is more rule-based
C) Compared to work, play is more intrinsically motivated
D) All of the above

Question 20

Six-month-old Cara plays with the rattles in her crib, shaking them, putting them in her mouth, and banging them against the bars of the crib. Her two older brothers wrestle on the floor in the room next to hers. In what type of play are Cara and her brothers engaging?

A) Cara and her brothers are all engaged in sensorimotor play.
B) Cara and her brothers are all engaged in symbolic play.
C) Cara is engaged in sensorimotor play, while her brothers are engaged in symbolic play.
D) Cara is engaged in symbolic play, while her brothers are engaged in sensorimotor play.

Question 21

Four kindergarten children are engaged in different play activities. All but which of the following are engaged in sensorimotor play?

A) Antwone plays in the sink while he washes his hands.
B) Brittany plays "house" with some dolls and another child.
C) Curt plays chase with another child.
D) Debra doodles on some construction paper.

Question 22

Several children engage in symbolic play. Abigail and Adrian set up a store and play "shopping," with Abigail as the customer and Adrian as the shopkeeper. Beatrice and Bennie build an extensive structure with Lincoln logs, Legos, and blocks. Carlos and Christina play a game of Junior Scrabble. Which pair is experiencing dramatic play?

A) Abigail and Adrian
B) Beatrice and Bennie
C) Carlos and Christina
D) All of these

Question 23

Three two-year-old children on a play date at their local park play together in the sandbox. One builds sandcastles with some plastic toys, while another runs a car over a sandhill. The third child makes handprints in the sand. The children do not attend to what the others are doing. In what type of play are these children engaged?

A) cooperative play
B) solitary play
C) associative play
D) parallel play

Question 24

Regarding the project approach to learning, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) The project approach lies between the realm of pure play and pure work.
B) In the project approach, the project starts with an idea that emerges from the teacher that is then carried out by a small group of children over a period of time.
C) In contrast to play, projects are designed to have outcomes.
D) This approach has recently gained attention through its application in Italy's Reggio Emilia early childhood program.

Question 25

Ralph is a teacher in a 4-year-old preschool program. Right now, he is keeping running records of what is happening as the children work on an art project together. Ralph's role is best described as

A) observer.
B) stage manager.
C) teacher.
D) encourager.

Question 26

Regarding the adult's role as a teacher in children's play, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) In teaching a child to play, the basic goals are to get the child to begin to play with one or more children and to give her/him the skills to keep on playing.
B) Since children know how to play on their own, teachers only need to provide a rich environment in which children can explore.
C) Very young children can be taught the social skills necessary for play - sharing, turn-taking, and empathy.
D) Helping children learn how to play is a teacher's secondary goal; it can only be accomplished when there is enough time and developmentally appropriate resources are available.

Question 27

Eight-year-old Avi has just earned 100% on a timed test of his multiplication facts. Of the following responses, which is the best for Avi's father to give?

A) "Avi, you are such a good boy. I love you!"
B) "Avi, you must be really proud of what you accomplished after studying so hard!"
C) "Avi, see how smart you are! Great work!"
D) "Avi, great job. Here is a dollar for the good work that you did!"

Question 28

Regarding praise, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Adults should give praise for risk-taking, even when children are unsuccessful in their efforts.
B) Adults should tell children "good job" frequently to help reinforce for them what they are really good at.
C) Overabundant praise can cloud a child's reality and give children a false sense of themselves.
D) Children should be recognized for effort and persistence.

Question 29

According to the text, developmentally appropriate practice includes figuring out ways for children to be engaged with ______ when learning.

A) objects and ideas
B) teachers and peers
C) objects, ideas, teachers, and peers
D) teachers and ideas

Question 30

At the Pikler Institute, at what age do children begin to learn cooperation and responsibility?

A) infancy
B) toddlerhood
C) preschool
D) elementary school age

Question 31

When child care professional Bob Bertrand interacts with the children in his care, he tends to offer non-judgmental commentary on their actions. Another name for Bertrand's commentary is

A) child-centered learning.
B) descriptive feedback.
C) intrinsically-motivating conversation.
D) meaning-making.

Question 32

The problem(s) with excessive and/or inappropriate praise are:

A) Children can become addicted to praise and only engage in activities for the sake of receiving the praise
B) Children do not develop the confidence to take risks through their own judgments and will excessively rely on the opinions of others
C) Children will become dependent on extrinsic motivations (e.g, praise, stickers, and other forms of external rewards) and weaken their own intrinsic motivation (i.e., performing an activity for the joy of the process or their own satisfaction)
D) Children will no longer engage in true play, as defined by the five characteristics of play
E) All of the above

Question 33

Name the five characteristics that distinguishes play from work, as described in the textbook, and give an example that embodies all the characteristics.

Question 34

Describe the two types of cognitive play and the four types of social play.

Question 35

You are a 4-year-old preschool teacher at a school emphasizing a play-based curriculum. During your first parent conference, two parents say, "It seems like all the kids do is play. Do they learn anything?"
How can you respond?

Question 36

In terms of adult roles in children's play, explain how adults enact each of the following roles: observer, stage manager, teacher, and encourager.