In the first half of You Can’t Say You Can’t Play Paley alternates between telling her fairytale of the magpie with describing how her kindergarteners structure their play. Her observations of some children being excluded from other’s games lead her to have several class discussions both with her class and as well as other grade levels. Does there have to be a “boss”? Should the children be left to work these conflicts out themselves? Can Paley’s “rule” work in a classroom? Paley’s poses many valid questions. Many that I am having a hard time answering myself. Should teachers intervene on student’s free time? Paley “intervenes” by using characters from the children’s stories as well as the magpie fable to illustrate how excluding others makes each other feel. While the topic at hand is not academic, Paley is creating a sense of community by asking her students to help her solve the problem.
I have not yet finished Paley, but after commenting on a fellow cohort member’s blog post I have started to think more about what I have read so far in the text. The main question I have in my mind is whether enforcing “fair play” in a classroom will work. We can all most likely agree that personalities clash, opinions differ, and therefore feelings can get hurt. Some people do not get along, whether this been in our jobs, families, sports teams, TV shows, or our government. Why would this be any different in a kindergarten classroom? Why are children expected to model a type of society we cannot promise them outside the classroom? I'm not excusing bullying, rudeness, or exclusion whatsoever. People do not get along, but that does not mean they have license to be rude. Interpersonal communication skills to solve conflict can be taught without forcing people to play together, it is only asking for more conflict otherwise.
The other thing to consider is just because the rule is instituted does not mean it is followed. Even in my own family, “let your sister play”, did not promise fair play when mom was not looking! The school becomes a shared environment that is safe for all opinions and ideas for all students; this atmosphere may a little different than home. Even so, I’m not yet convinced controlling play on the playground is possible or effective in making others feel included.
I have thought long and hard about "You Can't Say You Can't Play." At this stage I think establishing this rule is situational. In kindergarten I think it is a good idea. Good because it helps the teacher provide maximum opportunity for the kids to develop as well as the safe environment owed to each student. Later, say third grade and up, it would be more difficult to enforce. Plus, if we were able to enforce it, we would be showing children a utopian situation they would not see later in life. We would fail to allow them to learn important life lessons.
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