Research
Enhancing the Quality of Instruction in Four-Year-Old Kindergarten
Funded by a grant from the Institute for Education Sciences to the Madison Education Partnership (MEP) in collaboration with CRECE, this study focuses on reducing inequities in school success.
News & Events
- Now Accepting Applications for the 2023-24 CRECE Undergraduate or Masters’ Research Internships.
Applications are due by August 15, 2023. - 4K During a Pandemic: Stories from Dane County Webinar – Watch the video from the event on April 12, 2022.
- The Paradox of Autonomy: Pretend Play in Segregated Preschools Talk with Casey Stockstill Thursday, October 28, 2021 1:30p-2:30p
- CRECE Profiles Project: Learning from Outstanding Early Childhood Educators
- DREME’s At-Home Early Math Learning Kit: A COVID-19 Resource for Families
Re-Imagining Play the Anji Way
Why would a researcher travel half-way around the world to watch kids play?
CRECE Director, Beth Graue, had a very good reason for flying 20 hours to Anji, a county situated in a northwestern province of China. Along with CRECE Advisory Board member and One City Schools’ Director Kaleem Caire, Graue attended the first True Play conference to observe the power of Anji Play — a bold approach to early childhood education that interweaves activities and environmental features based on five principles: Love, Risk, Engagement, Joy, and Reflection.
“It was remarkable to see first-hand the ways that Anji Play equips and allows children to explore their world — through play, said Graue. In Anji Play, children have two hour long play periods – outside when weather permits. Those two hours are brim-full of activity. Children use ladders(!) and build high structures. They take risks climbing and balancing. They engage freely in water play. They use hoses to make streams and deep muddy valleys. Rain suits and boots are on hand to keep them dry. Countless numbers of blocks are available for them to build towers and more. But if you spend time watching, you quickly discover that much more than play is going on. A great deal of learning is happening.”
