Keynote Address: Make Play the Way: Why Every Child and Early Educator Deserves Authentic Play Sylvia Kennedy-Godin October 31, 2018

In our profession, we are bombarded with the requirements to understand and apply learning standards while also being asked to support children’s play. How do we authentically bring these concepts together? In this interactive session, we will explore the components of what makes “play” actually play (and not work disguised as play) and tease out the differences between activities and experiences with young children. We want to investigate what happens when we see ourselves as skilled play facilitators and what learning WE do as early childhood professionals when children are deep in play. Participants will: 1) identify their own role in children's play and how that may change, depending on the situation; 2) distinguish between real child initiated led play and teacher directed activities; 3) articulate the components of authentic play and lesson planning.