OMG what a read!
And the conclusion:
“Children absorb political, social, and economic worldviews from an early age. Those worldviews show up in their play, which is the terrain that young children use to make meaning about their world and to test and solidify their understandings. We believe that educators have a responsibility to pay close attention to the themes, theories, and values that children use to anchor their play. Then we can interact with those worldviews, using play to instill the values of equality and democracy.”
Using play to instill OUR values on other people’s children.
For the past two years my 8yo daughter has been playing a game she and her friends made up called “Powers”. It involves about 800 rules, kids in shifting teams and ever-shifting power from person to person, depending on these mysterious rules. The kids love it because someone always is in power and others try to get the power. Guess this wouldn’t go over too well at the commune school.
king of the hill