AUSSIE actor Cate Blanchett has issued a plea for more play in schools, warning the nation is at a "crossroads" in education.
The Hollywood star claims the vibrancy of children is in "great jeopardy" if the outcome of their education is measured through literacy and numeracy alone.
Speaking out with her playwright husband Andrew Upton in the foreword of a book designed for parents and early childhood educators, Blanchett said an element of the arts and play were vital to the energy of any classroom.
"One of our strongest motivations for coming back to Australia to live was because we felt it was such a great place to grow up," the duo wrote. "Our memories were not of tests and quotas but of games and play.
"Australia is currently at a crossroads in education and we must ensure that the arts are embedded in the early childhood curriculum for all children so that the porous, oddly shaped, unclassifiable aspects of their life are given voice and genuine consideration."
The couple, who said dramatic play in education was vital, wrote the comments as Sydney Theatre Company representatives in Creative Arts in the Lives of Young Children, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research.
"A vital outcome of education is of course literacy and numeracy, but if the desired outcome is used to determine the approved process exclusively, the natural vibrancy of the children subject to it is in great jeopardy," they wrote.
Victorian Principals Association president Gabrielle Leigh said play-based learning was often ignored, but helped develop language skills.
"Young children learn best when they are excited by what they are learning, and play has a huge role in setting children up for a lifelong love of learning."
-- Cate Blanchett ― Herald Sun Published On: 2012-11-14 
