You Cant Say You Can't Play by Vivian Gussin Paley - Essay Example

You Can’t Say You Cant Play The book “You Can’t Say You Cant Play” by Vivian Gussin Paley is a recount of an attempt by a teacher to shun a common and annoying habit in her kindergarten classroom. A common habit in most classroom setups is the exclusion of pupils from a particular classroom and co-curricular activities. In Vivian’s case, the teacher is concerned with a trending habit in which some children are barred from entering play fields of other children (Paley, 2010). This habit is consistent in the teacher’s kindergarten classroom. The author, Vivian Gussin Paley is a teacher at a kindergarten in a classroom with children of varied racial, social and economic status. Although these classrooms are located in the University of Chicago Laboratory School, the issues Vivian highlight are relevant to any classroom setup globally. The exclusionary behavior triggers Vivian into recalling vivid memories of herself as a child. As she grew up, Vivian watched in disdain as classmates intentionally secluded some children from particular activities. At this time, Vivian felt less influential to make any changes regarding such dehumanizing habits. Vivian further recalls how overweight and poor girls would experience discrimination. To make matters worse, teachers privileged the more confident and brighter children (Genishi & Dyson, 2009). As a teacher, Vivian feels awful about the exclusionary behavior rampant in her classroom. In this book, children who were privileged and accepted were dubbed “insiders”, while children who were secluded were termed “outsiders”. At her old age (sixty years), Vivian is no longer capable of resisting her childhood memories and her current agonizing sympathy for outsiders. Prudently, Vivian strives to surpass the typical practice of promoting an incorporating culture. Such a culture would help to make insiders accept outsiders into their social circles. Nevertheless, Vivian strives to find viable ways of breaking chains of exclusion in her classroom. Typically, such an act would prompt insiders to feel a violation of their freedom (Cooper, 2009). Consequently, the mood of the classroom would be ruined, and tension would arise. Nevertheless, Vivian is committed to change the mindset in her classroom. Vivian’s approach in solving the exclusion problem is quite surprising. Consequently, this story becomes engrossed, and flair of suspense is imminent. First, Vivian is sincerely unsure and unwary of how commanding her techniques seem. Before instilling her novel rule (“You Can’t Say You Cant Play”) Vivian contemplates starting slow. She decides to engage children in long sessions of discussions regarding fairness and justice (Featherstone & Featherstone, 2011). During this contemplation period, Vivian undertakes major approaches to spice her strategies. She approaches groups of children in higher grades of the University of Chicago Laboratory School. To incorporate more perception and richness, she asks these groups their opinions regarding her proposed rule. This technique appears to be fruitful in the end. Vivian then reported her findings to her kindergarten class. Vivian deeply believes in the power of ancient narratives in connecting to thinking of human beings. She makes up a story of Magpie (main character) in which she incorporates characters features that children admire- animals and magic powers. In this narrative, Vivian prudently incorporates the moral agenda in discussion (Clark & Moss, 2011). The indirect approach, metaphorical style and non-linearity that Vivian employs in addressing outstanding issues are quite admirable. All through the preparation sessions, Vivian documents all findings in a tape recorder. She realizes that further review and reconsideration of would aid her afterwards. This book addresses issues of moral education in contemporary societies. However, a thorough address of these issues would be effective in changing the general societal perception. The author gives an insight to folklore in moral education to children (Wesling, 2008). In addition, the author highlights the remarkable receptivity of young children towards moral matters pertaining to adulthood. Perhaps this book addresses the necessity of exclusion in young children’s play fields. Most importantly, Vivian reviews the disparity that occurs between private and public domains. Consequently, these domains project into everyday classroom practices of young children. The undesirable language of “bosses” common in her school may have been an unintentional outcome of routine tales. Nevertheless, she does not address the possibility that her classroom tales foster exclusionary behavior (Wesling, 2008). Questions arise as to why exclusionary and rejection behaviors continuously recur in generations yet these behaviors are spontaneous. Perhaps poor parental guidance and inappropriate kinship groupings may play a huge role in the promotion of these detrimental behaviors. Nevertheless, this well written by Vivian serves to address common teaching, parental and children’s issues in schools. Through this book, Vivian inspires parents, teachers and other stakeholders in matters pertaining to appropriate child behavior. This book explores a teacher’s reverential, non-punitive, non-ideologist and eventually fruitful approach in tackling children related issues. This approach promotes a new dimension of thinking in children towards others in their everyday life (Rymes, 2009). Ultimately, such thinking dimensions magnify into the overall thinking of the general community. Vivian’s approach serves as a stepping stone to an overall societal good. Vivian’s made up tale is a dazzling twist as it portrays a mixture of fantasy and reality. Subsequently a new dimension is introduced in the debate. Magpie is a magical bird that tries to bring people who are isolated people to where they can justly share the sun. Myth and morality initiate a message that is tried at the school. A tussle follows, and not even Magpie tales would avoid critics from a non-naive group of social philosophers (Rymes, 2009). “You Cant Say You Cant Play” addresses people’s deep beliefs. The exclusivity nature of human beings, fairness amidst originality and individuality, and children’s rejection habit overviews some of the issues discussed. The answers to these lingering questions lie in Vivian’s schoolchildren. Furthermore, Vivian’s wisdom in listening to them solves these societal concerns. Vivian’s “You Cant Say You Cant Play” (YCSYCP) approach is problematically owing to its fundamental reasons for the operation. Vivian evaded the idea of working directly with outsiders. In her reasoning, Vivian would rather heed to the ethical wisdom in children’s sayings. Thus, she implemented a solitary rule to direct her classrooms behavior. Consequently, the children failed to learn effective tactics for resolving conflicts (Johnson, 2012). This outcome contradicts common principles of effective leadership. Leadership commands a sense of responsibility towards people of less authority, comparatively. Vivian is careful to avoid emotional outburst in her classroom. She tries to avoid sentiments that would purportedly hurt the children’s feelings. As a result, she faults to teach her children of techniques of handling tricky situations. Military strategies of putting the mission are first, never accepting defeat, and never leaving a comrade behind seems to be the reality of this matter. Such philosophies not only exist in the military but the outside liberal world. These ideologies ought to be adapted in classrooms settings. Probably, some of Vivian’s former students may have joined activist groups in their adulthood. Vivian wonders whether morality could be legislated. Vivian further illustrates that teaching surpasses the moral boundary (Crowe, 2010). However, Vivian idea of morality seems to have been influenced by her background. Vivian teaches at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, which is a liberal school. Seemingly, John Dewey- a renowned education philosopher influenced the construction of this school. Like Vivian, Dewey influenced the society in two critical areas. Dewey signed a document referred to as the “Humanist Manifesto”. This subtle document outlined a prospective plan to evict God from our society. Dewey stands out as an anti-Christ who strongly criticized Christianity, as a religion. In addition, Dewey had connection with ACLU that actively fought against Christian-based moral behavior. Perhaps Vivian could be one of the godless in the society. Therefore, care should be in accepting Vivian’s moral judgment. The feeling of being rejected by classmate causes pain and humiliation (Johnson, 2012). Memories of rejection during school days stick on minds of many people. Regardless of whether people grow into becoming immune to such issues, exclusions have grown into common human experience. Uncertainty marked first days in school as it involved separation from home. Being complete strangers, children get a relief in the belief that they would make new friends. Nevertheless, such feelings were short-lived by harsh moments of exclusion and isolation. The exclusionary behavior experienced in the kindergarten classroom baffles the author. The perpetrators of this inhuman behavior and the excluded both exhibit weird behavioral traits. Vivian explores the possibility of implementing the YCSYCP rule. Since Vivian is not sure of the viability of her strategy, she undertakes a feasibility analysis. She engages her classroom and other older students in an inclusive discussion (Nilsen, 2013). The younger children seem agitated about this proposed rule. Many of them are troubled by the potential for this rule to work without infringement of personal freedom. On the other hand, children in the upper grades seem optimistic of the workability of this rule. The obvious disparity in thoughts between the older and younger children portrays a difference in levels of maturity. The resultant changes in the classroom culture because of the YCSYCP rule were impressive. The children’s behavior transformed drastically as Vivian had anticipated. Inventive and welcoming nature of children suddenly showed. This change indicates that exclusion behavior is not in-born but rather arises from daily interactions. Family ties and disparities in social class might also contribute to exclusionary behavior. All the changes that resulted from Vivian strategy went down as she had planned (Johnson, 2012). Vivian’s sequential and strategic approach is admirable. She begins with basic and finite changes, for instance, the elimination of time-outs. This strategy formed the first fundamental steps of YCSYCP towards eradication of exclusionary culture. Furthermore, Vivian employed the use of a simple language in her discussions with younger and older children. As children grow into maturity, they would be able to comprehend the fruitful repercussions of breaking exclusionary behavior. When they grow into adults, children will handle exclusion and rejection in a mature and philosophical manner. This book is worthwhile as a tool for transforming schools humanly functional institutions for a great diversity of student. Vivian begins with a dreary short story foundation before she performs a written self-stimulating. This form of transformation extends the story to a tedious conclusion. Vivian utilizes excessive narratives in her book that makes up for a great part of her writing. Furthermore, the author includes periodic explanations (Johnson, 2012). Readers are puzzled by the legitimacy of Vivian’s tales. Whether or not they factual events or imaginations, they make up a considerable part of this book. The second phase of this book incorporates Vivian’s story, "Magpie in fairy land" which proves fruitful from Vivian’s perspective. Inopportunely, "Magpie in fairy land" does not reinforce her arguments but rather act as filler. Nevertheless, this book can be resourceful in moral teachings. References Paley, V. G. (2010). The boy on the beach: Building community through play. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Genishi, C., & Dyson, A. H. (2009). Children, language, and literacy: Diverse learners in diverse times. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. Cooper, P. M. (2009). The classrooms all young children need: Lessons in teaching from Vivian Paley. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Featherstone, S., Bayley, R., & Featherstone, S. (2011). Independent learning in the foundation stage. London: A&C Black Publishers. Clark, A., & Moss, P. (2011). Listening to young children: The mosaic approach. Wesling, D. (2008). Joys and sorrows of imaginary persons: (on literary emotions). Amsterdam: Rodopi. Johnson, E. (2012). The childrens bill of emotional rights: A guide to the needs of children. Lanham, Md: Jason Aronson. Nilsen, Barbara Ann. (2013). Week by Week: Plans for Documenting Childrens Development. Wadsworth Pub Co. Crowe, C. (2010). Sammy and his behavior problems: Stories and strategies from a teachers year. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children. Rymes, B. (2009). Classroom discourse analysis: A tool for critical reflection. Cresskill, N.J: Hampton Press. Read More