Original play

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Original Play (German "Original Game") is a scientifically unrecognized game concept that was invented in the 1970s by O. Fred Donaldson .

organization

The International Foundation for Original Play was founded in 2018 by Jolanta Graczykowska, the "only authorized representative and coordinator of Original Play for Europe since 2002" and registered as a non-profit organization in Poland. The association “Original Play Austria - play from the heart” has existed in Austria since 2015. The association and foundation offer workshops, seminars and lectures in several European countries for people who work with children, but also for those who are interested.

The logo is made up of two larger blue abstract figures and a smaller one, which are arranged around a small red heart and are themselves intertwined in a spiral heart shape. There are also variants in which a single blue figure with a heart is shown, which carries the respective national flag of the country version of the website.

concept

Adults act “playfully” with unrelated and unfamiliar adolescents and children, but also, according to their own statements, with other adults, in close physical contact, preferably on the floor: rolling around, riding on each other, cuddling or otherwise being physically active. According to Donaldson, the initiative for this should come from the child or the opposite of the original Play manager. Children and young people can also be actively encouraged by the game leader to take part and then decide for themselves whether they want to participate.

Donaldson distinguishes “Original Play” as an original game in which adults adapt to children, from “cultural play” which is taught to children in order to adapt them to the culture of adults.

aims

The concept is said to help children, adolescents and adults (with and without disabilities) to play instinctively, to peacefully express joy and trust instead of fighting for victory, and to get to know their bodies better. By Original Play a psychological and physiological process should be set in motion, which enables a combination of cognitive, emotional and sensory-motor learning. In this way, the individual experiences belonging to the group without fear and competition.

Game master

Anyone can apply to be a game master for a fee. A check for delinquency or other abnormalities does not take place.

Game participants

Donaldson says he has used the method with children and wildlife around the world. The homepage states: "His playmates are children with special needs, gang members, refugees and street children, prison inmates, cancer patients, dolphins, whales, lions, grizzly bears, wolves, baboons and butterflies." Film evidence of Donaldson's activities, however, only provides evidence of interaction with children up to early adolescence .

methodology

Original Play is played on laid out mats. Toys are not used, there is only physical action. There are only two rules of the game:

  • The participants are invited by the game master and should decide for themselves each time whether they come on the mats and whether or how they get in touch.
  • Clapping the game master twice means that the game unit, which often only lasts a few seconds or a few minutes, is over and the participants go back to their seats.

According to the club, a game unit takes between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the age of the participants and the size of the group. This requires a room of around 50 m² and around 10 m² of gymnastics mats for the play area.

criticism

The criticism of Original Play concerns:

  • Donaldson's fragmentary biography, perpetuated false statements about expertise and awards, but which he never publicly corrected
  • the lack of pedagogical evidence of the procedure, the basics and successes of which are mainly based on the information provided by the inventor and the association
  • the specified lack of control of those interested, who are trained to be game leaders for a fee, only to be fed to children and adolescents they do not know, with whom they then interact physically

Expert judgments

  • The psychologist Fabienne Becker-Stoll , head of the State Institute for Early Childhood Education , warns against Original Play . The method is scientifically and developmentally unsound and runs counter to the basic needs of children; their introduction in some institutions is negligent and naive. Well-developed children do not seek physical contact with strangers, and it is clear that in this constellation there is a dominance of adults. Original Play is not only gross nonsense from a technical point of view and lacks any scientific basis, but also looks to them like an invitation for pedophiles.
  • The educational scientist Wilfried Datler describes it as problematic that it is conveyed that it is desirable to come into such intimate contact with initially strangers within a very short time. Physical play is important, but with people you trust like parents.
  • The psychologist Michaela Huber considers Donaldson's book and method to be extremely unscientific. A scene described in the book reminds her of pedo-criminal videos. What is being propagated is close to pedophilia and promotes that children should have no limits.
  • According to the child psychiatrist Karl Heinz Brisch , in the worst case scenario Original Play will give "pedo criminals" men and women access to daycare centers. Original Play is seen in various media as an "invitation" to child sexual abuse and is associated with pedophilia .
  • The Austrian pedagogue and psychologist Josef Christian Aigner does not want to defend the method or group, but considers serious prejudices by the association to be excessive. Above all, he criticizes the discussion that men in educational professions with children and educationally intended physical contact are generally suspected and prejudiced.
  • Susanne Viernickel , who teaches early childhood education at the University of Leipzig , rejects physical contact between children and strangers who are not caregivers such as parents and educators. She said: "This method suggests to children: It is okay if strangers seek physical contact with them."

consequences

Prohibitions of Original Play

  • In Lower Austria , on instructions from Provincial Councilor Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister, a provisional ban was issued on the practice of such offers in educational institutions; The City of Vienna also recommends schools and kindergartens not to work with Original Play until further notice. The Association of Austrian Children's Friends also stopped its cooperation with Original Play for the time being . In doing so, they comply with a request made by the child psychiatrist Karl Heinz Brisch.
  • In October 2019, the state of Brandenburg banned Original Play from being carried out in day-care centers in the state. Berlin had also previously decided on such a ban. In Rhineland-Palatinate , the execution of Original Play at day-care centers in the state was also banned in October 2019.
  • In mid-November 2019, Bavaria and Bremen also banned Original Play from being held in kindergartens and day-care centers.
  • In an article on Spiegel Online in November 2019, additional considerations and arguments for and against were given. The social authority in Hamburg expressly advised against using Original Play and the Child Protection Association advocates a nationwide ban on Original Play in Germany.
  • In October 2019, after protests, Steve Heitzer had to cancel an original play seminar that he wanted to hold in November 2019 as a cooperation partner of the organizer CORDAT in Regensburg, Bavaria.

Criticism of the original play ban

  • Business editor András Szigetvari said in a comment on November 7, 2019 in the Austrian daily Der Standard that he considered the nationwide ban imposed by Education Minister Iris Rauskala on “federal schools to continue to work with this association” to be “plausibly justifiable” neither the association nor any well-known developmental psychologist conclusively and on the basis of scientific work explains what unique educational added value Original Play has. "However, he criticized that" the impression is created "that" Original Play attracts a lot of pedophiles, for whom it is made easy, Abusing children ”, which“ no innocent person has to put up with ”, and called it an“ immoderate debate ”.
  • The title of a comment by Heike Klovert in the education department of Spiegel Online is: Why it is wrong to ban original play. Klovert explained: “Children should feel safe. And at the same time they should learn that they can decide for themselves whether they want physical contact. The trainers who use Original Play want to convey that to them. "

Reaction of the association

In a press conference initiated by the association, some Austrian media houses were invited to an exchange of ideas on November 13, 2019.

Awards

literature

  • Fred Donaldson: Playing by heart , Health Communications, 1993, ISBN 978-1-558742-53-6
    • Fred Donaldson: Play from the Heart: The Basics of the Original Game. Arbor-Verlag, Freiamt im Schwarzwald 2004. ISBN 978-3-936855-12-8 (from the American by Karin Petersen)
  • Fred Donaldson: Playing For Real: Re-Playing The Game of Life , self-published, 2017, ISBN 978-0-692885-86-4

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Original Play Events. In: Originalplay.at. Retrieved November 30, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Katherine T. Ratliffe: Clinical Pediatric Physical Therapy: A Guide for the Physical Therapy team. Mosby, 1998. p. 58.
  3. ↑ Una Stannard: A Few Kind Words About Hate: The Dark Side of Family Life and the Bible. GermainBooks, 2006. pp. 202ff.
  4. ↑ What is Original Play? (Presentation by the Original Play Foundation). Retrieved November 23, 2019 .
  5. ↑ about me (self- description of the Original Play Foundation on Fred Donaldson) , accessed on November 30, 2019
  6. ^ Association "Original Play Austria - play from the heart" (self-portrayal). Retrieved November 23, 2019 .
  7. ↑ "Original Play": Under Suspicion , Die Zeit, November 6, 2019
  8. ↑ Bente Lubahn: Under Suspicion , Die Zeit 46, November 7, 2019, p. 42
  9. ↑ Original Play: "Like an invitation for pedophiles" , sueddeutsche.de, November 14, 2019
  10. ^ "Irritating" games with children , ORF.at, October 24, 2019
  11. ↑ Heike Klovert: Criticism of the daycare method "Original Play": Berlin is considering a ban. In: Spiegel Online . October 25, 2019, accessed May 15, 2020 .
  12. ↑ Original Play: Trauma expert calls daycare offer "close to pedophilia" , Focus.de , October 27, 2019
  13. ^ Allegations against the club: "Irritating" play with children. In: ORF. October 24, 2019, accessed November 22, 2019 .
  14. ^ A b Evangelical Church warns of daycare game "Original Play" , evangelisch.de , October 30, 2019
  15. ↑ Gabriele Scherndl: " Allegations of abuse. Original Play: When strangers get into a fight". In: The Standard . October 30, 2019, accessed October 31, 2019 .
  16. ↑ Josef Christian Aigner : Debate about the Original Play association: Much ado about the wrong thing? In: apps.derstandard.at. Der Standard , November 12, 2019, accessed November 18, 2019 .
  17. ^ Kurier.at : "Original Play" is no longer allowed to operate in Lower Austria . October 29, 2019, accessed October 31, 2019 .
  18. ↑ Kurier : "Disturbing Games: Invites Club to" Child Abuse "?" October 24, 2019, accessed March 19, 2018 .
  19. ↑ Brandenburg also prohibits controversial daycare games. Retrieved November 2, 2019 .
  20. ↑ The Berlin Senate bans the controversial daycare game "Original Play". Retrieved November 2, 2019 .
  21. ↑ Controversial play method in daycare centers: Prohibited in Rhineland-Palatinate , rheinpfalz.de, November 7, 2019
  22. ↑ Original Play: "Like an invitation for pedophiles" , sueddeutsche.de , November 14, 2019
  23. ↑ Original Play: Controversial game method is prohibited in Bremen , Weser-Kurier , November 15, 2019
  24. ^ After allegations of abuse: "Original Play" courses canceled , br.de , November 28, 2019
  25. ↑ András Szigetvari: Comment: Original Play: Excessive Debate: To operate with general suspicions in the debate is wrong and only unsettles parents , Der Standard , November 7, 2019
  26. ↑ Heike Kovert , spiegel.de
  27. ↑ Heike Klovert: Controversial play method in day-care centers: Why it is wrong to ban original play , November 12, 2019
  28. ↑ Gabriele Scherndl: Allegations of abuse: "Playful fighting": Original Play goes on the offensive , Der Standard , November 13, 2019
  29. ↑ Apa \ / herbert Pfarrhofer: "Original Play" for the greatest unscientific nonsense ... In: diepresse.com. December 9, 2019, accessed May 15, 2020 .