Abstract

With play recognized globally as a tool to promote children’s development and academic learning, the Quebec provincial government has given play a central role in their preschool
education program. However, kindergarten teachers are given little information on their roles during children’s play and teachers are left to determine how and the extent to which they should
integrate play in their classrooms. This study aims to gain a better understanding of Quebec kindergarten teachers’ beliefs about play-based learning, their roles during play, and their views
about Quebec’s mandated free play periods. Through case studies, four Quebec kindergarten teachers were interviewed and profiles were created. The profiles display the teachers’ perspectives of play and demonstrate how their beliefs affect their roles during the children’s play and their implementation of play in the classroom. Results reveal a lack of clarity amongst the teachers in defining play and play-based learning, and disagreements over the appropriate level of adult involvement - although the teachers all believe in taking on active roles during their students’ play. The profiles also reveal the teachers’ beliefs regarding the benefits of play and the issue of accountability required of kindergarten classrooms. Overall, the four kindergarten teachers interpret and present play very differently in their classrooms. The results
support the need for clearer and more consistent definitions of play-based learning and detailed information of the roles of adults during play, both in research and in the Quebec Educational
Program to enhance the practice of play and play-based pedagogies in kindergarten classrooms.