Developed by Pamela Phelps, PhD and the Center for Childhood Research and Training in Tallahassee, FL, this handbook provides teachers with an understanding of children's play, well-planned and organized play opportunities, and concrete information for creating and scaffolding engaging play environments. ISBN 978-0-88076-793-4. ©2019
Pamela C. Phelps, Ph.D.
Dr. Phelps has over 40 years experience working with young children and their families. For nine years she taught kindergarten and first-grade in the public schools of Wakulla and Leon Counties in the state of Florida. For the past thirty years she has been the Owner/Director of the Creative Pre-School, providing care for approximately one hundred and thirty children, ages two months to six years, on a full day, year round basis. Creative has been chosen as a national and state model for the inclusion of young children with disabilities; continuously nationally accredited since 1989; and "A Gold Seal" program in the state of Florida. It is also the home of The Creative Pre-School Model Program Curriculum: Beyond Centers and Circle Time©.
Dr. Phelps is the Vice-President of The Creative Center for Childhood Research and Training, a non-profit corporation, providing training and program consultation for adults working with young children. CCCRT conducts and supports research, and makes presentations to professional and non-professional groups on a variety of subjects concerning young children and their families. Dr. Phelps is an international consultant on early childhood education to the Republic of Indonesia, and has conducted multiple national symposiums and workshops in that country.
Dr. Phelps is active in local, state, and national professional organizations. She works as an advocate for young children and their families on both the state and national levels. She is a past chair of the State of Florida's Coordinating Council for Early Childhood Services appointed by the Commissioner of Education for the State of Florida and a past member of The Florida Interagency Council for Infants and Toddlers. She has published articles in professional early childhood and special education journals; directed research in early childhood settings; and regularly conducts workshops for educators and parents on play and play environments, behavior management, and numerous other topics related to young children.
During the fall of 1992, Dr. Phelps was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by The Florida Association of Volunteer Agencies for Caribbean Action and as the Child Care Advocate of the Year for her work on behalf of young children by Big Bend Community Coordinated Child Care. In March of 1994, she was chosen Public Citizen of the Year by The Big Bend Unit of the National Association of Social Workers, Inc.; in May of 1998, she received The Outstanding Women Award from the Tallahassee Branch of the American Association of University Women; and in August of 2002 she was presented with the Research in Education Award by the Florida State University chapter of Phi Delta Kappa. Most recently, the Tallahassee 25 recognized Dr. Phelps as a "Superhero" for her dedication and commitment to children.
Author's website: http://www.cccrt.org/
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Beyond Centers and Circle Time: Scaffolding & Assessing the Play of Young Children
Description:
Beyond Centers and Circle Time: Scaffolding and Assessing the Play of Young Children will emphasize the following:- How to scaffold the environment, which will include the use and purchase of play materials as well as the organization of play spaces
- How to scaffold the pre-play experiences
- How to scaffold the development of the individual child through an understanding of the stages of sensorimotor, construction, and dramatic play
- How to scaffold the post-play experiences
Objectives:
- Participants will be able to use knowledge of both typical and atypical child development when observing young children and planning classroom experiences.
- Participants will be able to understand research and theories focusing on play and use this knowledge to plan and scaffold classroom experiences.
- Participants will understand how young children acquire knowledge and skills that will support their success in later school.
- Participants will be able to plan and organize a quality play environment that will support each child’s individual developmental level.
- Participants will be able to use knowledge of children’s development to plan and implement a quality program that will support the acquisition of school readiness skills.
- Participants will become familiar with research-supported stages of development in writing, easel painting, marker/crayon drawing, block building, bead stringing, and cutting with scissors and be able to use these stages to assess the play behaviors of young children.
- Participants will understand the importance of language, books, and other literacy experiences in children’s development of school readiness skills and be able to use this knowledge to plan literacy-rich experiences for young children.
- Children learn best when they are happy and interacting with adults, each other, materials, and engaged in activities that are exciting and developmentally appropriate.
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