ABSTRACT
Kristi was a preservice teacher in the teacher education program who obviously believed in the power of play. While many early childhood educators agree with Kristi, there are numerous pressures (also identified by Kristi) that marginalize play in schools. In the current educational climate, the push for academics dominates the discourse on “readiness” (Graue, 2006), privileging basic skills related to reading, writing, and numeracy over social, cultural, and emotional work. Academics related to language mechanics often replace the intellectually rich work that children engage in through play episodes, especially in kindergarten classrooms. Fueling this idea are neoliberal policies that advocate for competition (both nationally and globally) and standardization. Consequently, children, schools, parents, and society are involved in figuring out what is best for children and how to enable them to succeed in a global world. But what about children? What voice do they have in advocating for their own learning and growth?
