The Teacher – Originator of Student Activity during Play and Developmental Tasks
The Teacher – Originator of Student Activity during Play and Developmental Tasks

Summary/Abstract: The article focuses on the teacher’s role as the organizer of play and task activities in grades 1–3. The authors have assumed that play is a relevant and natural part of children’s lives that results from their inner needs and has great meaning for the development of all aspects of children’s personalities. Play focuses within itself all developmental tendencies of children. It is a source of development for children and establishes the zone of proximal development. On the other hand, the development and didactic tasks designed by the teacher are important in the activity of a school. In elementary education, the role of the teacher is to choose adequate tasks for the individual needs and possibilities of students. The tasks presented to the students should be difficult enough to activate their whole developmental potential and motivate them to be active. The scope of topics presented in this article required the participation in educational situations organized within the educational project realized in the Institute of Pedagogy of the Maria Curie Sklodowska University “Beyond the Threshold.” Explorers’ Expeditions. The method incorporated was the teaching experiment, that is, an original educational project that looks into the capabilities of pupils in classes 1–3 in selected areas. The project was carried out from November 2018 to June 2019. Organization of the teaching experiment required the creation of circumstances in which the pupils observed undertook task and play activities. The situations were observed and analyzed. The observation enabled the authors to define, among others, the role of the teacher in the process of creation of the development circumstances, to observe the forms of activity of the pupils in play and tasks and the relations among them. The model of research incorporated active observation. The pupils’ individual activity and group work were under observation. Moreover, the research included analysis of the pupils’ creations. The researchers looked for the answers to the following questions: • What tasks should be performed by the teacher who is leading the children’s activities during play and developmental tasks? • What peer relations can be observed during arranged play and tasks? • How do the pupils deal with the tasks aimed at designing? • What is the difference in constructions made by children individually and during group work? The results of the research enabled the authors to define the role of the teacher who designs the activity during play and tasks as well as to formulate methodological conclusions that are useful for the elementary education teachers.

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