Sharon Clipper Case Study
Bancroft Elementary School, a public school located in Washington, D.C., stands out as one of the most diverse schools in the district, with students and teachers representing over 40 countries. Embracing its multicultural environment, the school takes pride in fostering a vibrant community of learners and preparing students to become high-achieving, bilingual global citizens who can lead in the 21st century.
Sharon Clipper, a seasoned early childhood educator of 44 years, credits the Playful learning Curriculum with enlivening her classroom and meeting her students where they are at. With a diverse library of themed lessons integrating play with science, literacy, art, and numeracy, along with aesthetically pleasing materials and curated book lists, Playful learning allows early educators to authentically engage young learners and families.
Engaging Parents During the Lockdown
As schools closed during the pandemic, Clipper, like many teachers, lost access to engage with her students in person. With Playful Learning materials, she was not only still able to engage students but also rope parents into the learning process.
“Because of the pandemic, we were virtual for two years. So I really utilized the Playful Learning materials a lot with parents. Even though the children weren’t physically with me, I was able to get the parents to do Playful Learning activities…they were actively involved in the learning process,” Clipper says.
Lockdown or not, the accessibility of Playful Learning materials allows educators to engage families whether by sending weekly portfolios of Playful Learning activities home, or by creating summer packets with Playful Learning materials.
“Every Friday, we send a weekly bulletin home to the parents and so I’m able to then let them know about what activities the children were engaged in during the week, and then recommend some of the activities that I’ve used in Playful Learning to hopefully get the parents to reinforce those concepts at home. It’s very helpful to me and to the kids,” Sharon says.
Adapting to Classroom Needs
The hands-on and thematic nature of Playful Learning materials provide educators with the flexibility to adapt play-based learning to meet the specific needs of their classrooms. For Clipper, this meant aligning the Playful Learning materials with the school’s mandated curriculum and customizing materials for bilingual instruction. With a culturally diverse class comprising students who speak various languages, Clipper easily combines, translates, and builds upon Playful Learning lessons to create an inclusive and engaging classroom environment.
Clipper follows the lead of her students, making sure that whenever a student asks a question she can adapt and put together lessons that address their curiosity. She loves that she can draw from the large library of Playful Learning materials to do so.
“As a teacher, it’s important to explore materials from multiple sources to meet the unique needs of your students. I laminate my Playful Learning materials and have students rotate around the room interacting with them,” Clipper explains.
Bringing Nature Into the Classroom
Playful learning facilitates learning that extends beyond the classroom walls and into the natural world.
For instance, Clipper often takes her students to a nearby park, where they collect natural artifacts, like acorns. They then bring these elements back to the classroom, leveraging Playful Learning materials to incorporate them into the learning experience.
Clipper emphasizes the importance of sensory experiences in fostering meaningful connections for young learners, “We collected various artifacts during the fall season and saved them. However, you can’t go back to collect acorns in May. Following the principles of the Reggio philosophy, it’s crucial to allow children the opportunity to revisit experiences, as it helps them make connections between different seasons. This approach makes the learning experience more meaningful for them.”
With Playful Learning, Sharon Clipper’s classroom inspires curious minds, integrates the natural world, and engages families.
Impact of Playful Learning Curriculum
Teacher: “The Playful Learning curriculum created a myriad of opportunities for my young learners to explore several pathways, and milestones in learning. The beautifully designed materials – in English, and Spanish – elevated the language and literacy experiences of my students. Through the use of the Playful Learning materials, the home-school connection proved to be highly successful.”