Disrupting the Aistear hour: working towards a play-based curriculum in early childhood classrooms in Irish primary schools

ABSTRACT

In a climate of pandemic recovery and taking this opportunity to be reflective and reflexive in our practice we set out to examine how we can make a change to the playful experiences of children aged 4–6 years old in Irish infant primary classrooms. As teacher educators in play and play-based learning, in higher education, we are confronted by pedagogical cultures and classroom experiences within early primary settings that turn play on and off for a period during the day. This is a practice commonly referred to as the ‘Aistear hour’. The aim of this project was to explore our own current understandings and to improve our professional approaches to teaching student teachers about play-based pedagogy and practices. Participants (n = 9) in this small-scale survey research study were tutor colleagues involved in the teaching of elements of Early Childhood and Professional Practice Placement modules. The results indicate a serious need for a professional collective discussion on the adult ‘hijacking’ of play and the need for a rights-based approach to ensure very young children have control and voice in their play experiences in early primary classrooms.

KEYWORDS:

• Pedagogy
• continuum of play
• early childhood education
• curriculum framework
• teacher education continuum

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the contributions of our adjunct faculty teacher educators. Their insight and expertise are greatly valued and welcome.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Carol-Ann O’Síoráin

Carol-Ann O’Síoráin, an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Institute of Education at Dublin City University. She is a passionate educator and researcher. Her research and experience in promoting inclusion in education and society and her expertise in early childhood and primary education bring a critical and contemporary vision to teaching and learning. Her research interests in areas such as the role of parents in education, neurodiversity and intellectual disability, early literacy and numeracy, and teacher professional development add creatively to early childhood education and initial teacher education nationally and internationally.

Margaret Kernan

Margaret Kernan, International Child Development Initiatives (ICDI), Leiden, The Netherlands. Margaret is an international expert in early childhood education with 30+ years’ experience as a lecturer, researcher, project manager, trainer and consultant to government agencies and child-focused INGOs and foundations. Margaret’s research interests are in early childhood education; psycho-social wellbeing of children; play and learning and intergenerational learning.

Fíona McArdle

Fíona McArdle, School of Education, Hibernia College, Dublin, Ireland. Fiona is a Lecturer in Education in the School of Education Hibernia College. She is a very experienced teacher with national and international experiences, and she has held leadership roles including Principalship of a Primary School. Fiona is actively involved in further studies and her research interests include inclusion and diversity, leadership, international, intercultural, and intersectional perspectives on children’s rights to, in and through education.