Welcome to the When Play Isn't Easy book group.A few things to point out about this blog. Across the top of the blog you will see tabs. We will be adding resources we find or that are suggested by participants in the Resources tab. You can see who is in your group in the Class Roster tab. Cindy has a Play board on Pinterest which you can find in its tab and finally IF you are taking this for credit a copy of Cindy's email going over the expectations in in the Graduate Credit Information tab. ( you can also find links there to the form you need to fill out) We will be adding to the Evaluation tab towards the end of 8 weeks. 

Along the right side of this blog you will see the tips for using the blog including how to comment, a link to a Live Binder on Play which has umpteen quality resources and Cindy and my contact information. Finally at the bottom of the blog is where IF you would like to get weekly emails of the posts I make you can sign up otherwise you will be responsible for just checking the blog each week for the weekly suggested reading. 

Since you committed yourself to this book group and we need to be accountable for providing this as professional learning there are a few expectations (separate from taking it for credit and for those not taking it for credit.) This book has many guiding questions within each chapter which you can comment on. I might also make suggestions each week of other possible reflection prompts. Feel free to deviate from any of these to share your "ah-ha moments," "I wonders" and/or questions. 

These are the expectations in order to receive a certificate for 15 hours at the end of the 8 weeks:

• Comment at least two times over the course of 8 weeks (if you would like to contribute more please do) This can be a comment on your reflective or comment on another participant's thoughts. 
• Provide one resource that you use or found over the 8 weeks. The Live Binder is full of resources if you would like to just research one of them and comment on its usefulness. It could be a resource to use with patents to promote play, a children's book that reinforces something in the PLAY book....
• Be prepared at the end of the 8 weeks to describe how the information/conversations have impacted a change in your professional practice (or will next school year) AND what you might see happening differently with children (if you can include specific examples.) Knowing this will be difficult if you are not with children over the summer consider being creative - we will understand if you cannot apply your learning if you are not around children.

WEEK ONE: This week we are reading the Introduction andChapter 1. Please do take the Self Assessment in the Introduction and reflect on it in your book – it may help with your final analysis of how this book group impacted your professional practice. In Chapter 1 you will be connecting play to standards. If you do not have and or use the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards here is a link to look them over: http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/wmels-about.php  If any of you have center signs which describe for adults the importance of play in each center and are willing to share those it would be a great resource for others in this book group (as described on the top of page 13.)

We are excited about the learning that will happen when this book is read and reflected upon. Because of the nature of this professional learning (via a blog) you are responsible for your own learning,  you will get out of it what you put into it. We hope that the flexibility of this type of professional development gives you an opportunity to stretch yourself with independent learning.  We look forward to go on this journey with you! 

Beth and Cindy