You Can't Play: The Habit of Rejection The Inquiry: Is It Fair? Will It Work? The New Order Begins It Is Easier to Open the Door
Vivian Gussin Paley (1929–2019), a longtime classroom teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, was a MacArthur Fellow and winner of the 1998 American Book Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Vivian Gussin Paley’s book You Can’t Say You Can’t Play is
arresting in its title, magical in its appeal, and inspiring in its
message… [It] illustrates how the teacher’s art can attack the evil
of exclusion at its childhood root. Now, Mrs. Paley, we need your
help in weeding out the pernicious practices that afflict the
adults of our exclusionary society.
*New York Times Book Review*
In instituting the [‘you can’t say you can’t play’] rule, Paley was
challenging the assumption that cruelty in childhood is to be
expected and that children should fend for themselves when it
happens—notions she believes unfairly relieve adults of their duty
to intervene. And she rejects the idea that children could benefit
from such experiences.
*Washington Post*
[Paley] is an esteemed kindergarten teacher whose previous writing
has been about using children’s stories and fantasies as vehicles
for learning. Here she interweaves her private reflections, her
conversations with children, and a story she spins, to tell what
happened when she instituted a radical new order in her classroom.
Her new rule prohibited children from excluding someone who wanted
to play. The implications of such a non-exclusion rule are
profound; most of the children resisted at first, but with
discussion began to adjust their behavior and truly experience the
benefits of making no one a stranger. Paley makes a powerful
statement in this slim book: to teachers, parents, and society at
large.
*Booknews*
In this brief, ethereal and tender account of social relations
among children, Paley…explores how to keep students from being
ignored by their classmates. Woven throughout Paley’s lessons is a
parable about loneliness and rejection, which enables readers to
share a child’s view of the world. What the kids have to say is
enchanting and surprisingly wise.
*Publishers Weekly*
Vivian Gussin Paley's book You Can't Say You Can't Play is
arresting in its title, magical in its appeal, and inspiring in its
message... [It] illustrates how the teacher's art can attack the
evil of exclusion at its childhood root. Now, Mrs. Paley, we need
your help in weeding out the pernicious practices that afflict the
adults of our exclusionary society. -- Derrick Bell * New York
Times Book Review *
In instituting the ['you can't say you can't play'] rule, Paley was
challenging the assumption that cruelty in childhood is to be
expected and that children should fend for themselves when it
happens-notions she believes unfairly relieve adults of their duty
to intervene. And she rejects the idea that children could benefit
from such experiences. -- Theresa Defino * Washington Post *
[Paley] is an esteemed kindergarten teacher whose previous writing
has been about using children's stories and fantasies as vehicles
for learning. Here she interweaves her private reflections, her
conversations with children, and a story she spins, to tell what
happened when she instituted a radical new order in her classroom.
Her new rule prohibited children from excluding someone who wanted
to play. The implications of such a non-exclusion rule are
profound; most of the children resisted at first, but with
discussion began to adjust their behavior and truly experience the
benefits of making no one a stranger. Paley makes a powerful
statement in this slim book: to teachers, parents, and society at
large. * Booknews *
In this brief, ethereal and tender account of social relations
among children, Paley...explores how to keep students from being
ignored by their classmates. Woven throughout Paley's lessons is a
parable about loneliness and rejection, which enables readers to
share a child's view of the world. What the kids have to say is
enchanting and surprisingly wise. * Publishers Weekly *
In this brief, ethereal and tender account of social relations among children, Paley--a kindergarten teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, a MacArthur grant recipient and the author of The Boy Who Would Be a Helicopter --explores how to keep students from being ignored by their classmates. She describes what happened when she asked students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade to debate the proposition ``You Can't Say You Can't Play.'' Woven throughout Paley's lessons is a parable about loneliness and rejection, which enables readers to share a child's view of the world. What the kids have to say is enchanting and surprisingly wise. For example, should a ``boss'' determine who plays with whom, or should there be an election? As a sagacious second-grader observes: ``See, the bad thing about voting is, if you don't vote for that person she'll see all the people who don't like her. If it's a boss that's only one person doesn't like you so you don't feel so bad.syntax of quote ok '' (Sept.)
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