Transcript CREATIVE ENVIRONEMENTS

CREATING A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
• Lecture notes
comprise of gathered
information from the
following areas:
– Chapter 2. Dodge,
Colker, & Heroman
(2002).
– Chapter 6. Mayesky
(2002).
PHYSICAL SPACE: GENERAL GUIDELINES
•
Basic guidelines when evaluating the physical space in early childhood
programs:
1.
Satisfactory acoustics help communication.
2.
Floors should be easily cleaned, suited to hard wear, comfortable for children to sit
on.
3.
Proper heat, ventilation, and light source are important.
4.
Running water and sinks are a must for preparing and cleaning up after some
creative activities.
5.
Easy-to-reach storage space for equipment that is in daily use allows children to
participation in set-up and clean-up.
6.
Shelves should be low, open, and not too deep; this enables children to greater
opportunity to choose materials independently.
7.
Tables to accommodate 4 to 6 children for group activities. Chairs should be light
and moveable
SAFETY FACTORS
1.
Windows should be sure low and safe.
2.
Remove toxic materials
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3.
Lead-based paints
Poisonous plants (i.e., berry- producing plants).
Be sure that commercial or teacher-made materials are safe for children
•
Teachers who first try new materials for creative activities will become aware of
applicable safety factors.
4.
Cover hot pipes and radiators; insert protective covering over all electrical
outlets.
5.
Child proof door knob locks.
6.
Check the facility for hooks, hangers or other sharp objects, especially at
child’s level.
8.
Make sure that there are adequate exits and alarms provided in the event
of a fire or other emergency. Check on a regular and consistent basis.
ARRANGEMENT OF SPACE AND EQUIPMENT
1.
2.
CHILDREN’S AGE AND DEVELOPMENTAL LEVELS
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Young children (2-3 years) do well in simple and small spaces. Older
children require more space due to increased mobility.
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Approximately 40- 60 square feet per preschool child is recommended.
SUPERVISION
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Open play spaces should not be so large that it becomes difficult
to supervise the children properly.
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Divide the space up into activity areas.
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Limit numbers of children when appropriate.
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Use low and movable barriers (i.e., child-level bulletin boards,
book shelves)
3.
4.
5.
FLEXIBILITY
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Space should be kept as open and flexible as possible so it can be adjusted
as the children grow, develop, and change in their needs
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Materials, equipment, and even whole centers need to be removed to
storage when children have outgrown them.

The classroom that never change is boring and a less- than
stimulating learning environment for these children.
TRAFFIC FLOW
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Traffic flow must be considered to improve traffic flow between activities.
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Traffic flow should not interfere with activities that requires concentration.
PERSONAL SPACE
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As children develop self-concept, they require designated places and/or
resources unique to them (i.e., for personal belonging, extra clothes,
artwork)

Having a cubby of one’s own helps the child learn about possession and
care of self, which are both basic to a growing sense of independence.
ACTIVITIES AND INTEREST CENTERS
• Well planned activities promote
children’s independent
exploration in the absence of
the teacher.
• A program organized around
activity centers encourages
skill development which will
later translate into problemsolving, learning basic skills,
and understanding new
concepts.
Most educators and experts recommend the following
interest centers:
1.
2.
Art area
Housekeeping/dramatic
play center
3. Block-building and
Manipulative area
4. Science/discovery center
5. Music center
6. Books and quiet area
7. Sand and water play
area
8. The social studies
center: People and
places
9. Woodworking center
10. Outdoor play area
DECISION ABOUT ACTIVITY AREAS: WHERE AND WHEN
•
Questions to be addressed before setting up activity
centers.
1.
Will centers be offered all day or in part? How many days within a week?
1.
What room features offer potential settings for centers?
1.
Should there be limits on the number of children using any specific center?
1.
What kind of centers will provide a workable balance in terms of content?
2.
How free should movement in and out of the center be?
1.
How will children know what to do in each center?
CONDITION AND ORGANIZATION OF MATERIALS
WITHIN THE ACTIVITY CENTER
• Activity centers and materials that are well organized and in good
condition tell a child that materials are valued and important enough
to be well cared for.
– Young children work best in a predictable environment where materials
are organized and can be found repeatedly in the same place.
• Organizing materials can help children develop self-help skills and
self-control, as well as helping them learn to respect materials and
use them well.
– Organizing open storage shelves by labeling them clearly with pictures
and words make it possible for children to find materials they want to
work with.
– When selves are clearly labeled with few objects on them at a time,
putting things back in place becomes an easier task for young children.
SELECTION OF EQUIPMENT FOR CREATIVE
ACTIVITIES
•
The kind of equipment available to young children can either promote or discourage
creative expression.
•
CHARACTERISTICS OF APPROPRITE EQUIPMENT
1.
Simple in design. e.g., crayons blocks, clay, sand, paints, and even empty cardboard boxes
1.
Versatile. Usable by both girls and boys at their developmental level for many kinds of activities.
1.
Stimulating. The equipment should be the kind that allows children to do things and motivate
them.
2.
Large and easy to use.
3.
Durable. For younger as well as older children durability of equipment is important.
4.
In proper working order.
5.
Available in proper amounts. Too many toys or too much equipment can decrease the
effectiveness of those materials
6.
Designed to encourage children to play together.
7.
Safe
Choose material based on the following
criteria:
1. It’s developmental purpose.
2. It’s sturdiness and durability.
3. Size appropriateness.
4. Number of children participating
in the activity.
Plan and Facilitation
Part 2
GROUPS
Program Development and
Implementation
• Design a Facility.
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Blue print
Indicate centers
List of resources needed
Consider safety, flexibility,
feasibility
• Develop a child-centered
curriculum based activity
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Activity name & description
Resources needed
Directions for implementing
List of developmental skills
that this activity will
promote
1. Art area
2. Housekeeping/dramatic
play center
3. Block-building and
Manipulative area
4. Science/discovery
center
5. Music center
6. Books and quiet area
7. Sand and water play
area
8. The social studies
center: People and
places
9. Woodworking center
10. Outdoor play area
Guidelines for Implementation
Part 3
1. Guidelines For Setting Up Interest Areas
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Establish traffic patterns.
Clearly define areas that need protection.
Locate interest areas that are relatively quiet.
Decide which areas need tables.
Think about activities that are affected by floor covering.
Place interest area neat needed resources
Reserve areas with lots of light
Organize the room so you can see as much as possible.
2. Equipping Interest Areas
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Materials selected need to be attractive, inviting,
relevant to children’s experiences and culture, and
challenging but not frustrating.
Too many new materials at the outset can overwhelm
children.
Put out duplicated of basic materials to reduce sharing
problem.
3. Displaying and labeling materials
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Children can work independently and constructively,
when they know where things are and how and why
they are grouped.
Label storage place to show children that everything
has a place.
Labels should have both pictures and words- in
English and in the children’s home language.
Display Guidelines
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Store materials that go together in the same place.
Use containers.
Use pegs.
Display materials so that children ca see them easily.
Store sharp items.
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PHYSICAL SETTING
1.
A Place for Group Time
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Establish a place in your classroom where the whole group can gather together to talk about and
plan the day, listen to stories, transition from one activity to another, and participate in music and
movement activities.
Group Time Space Guidelines
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2.
Allow sufficient floor space.
Provide comfortable setting on the floor.
Allocate space for charts.
Include an easel or chart stand.
Locate near electrical outlets.
Classroom Display
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Most of the display space in your classroom should be saved for children’s work.
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Include the children’s name to identify their work.
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Display children’s work prominently , and at their eye level, to underscore that it is important and
worth protecting.
•
In the beginning of the year , select a prominent place to set up a display called “ Classroom
Community,” featuring photos of the children with their family members.
•
Store bought books and posters display should include pictures of people from many ethnic
backgrounds and of both sexes.
•
Look for pictures showing people of all ages and abilities doing all sorts of jobs
3.
Place for Storage
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There need to 3 types of storage: open storage for materials that is
accessible to children; secure storage for materials for adults only, and
personal storage for children and adults.
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Use secure storage for things like cleaning fluids , knives , etc., to ensure
children’s safety.
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Designate places for children’s belongings that are easily accessible and
clearly labeled with a child’s photo and name.
4.
A Comfortable and Attractive Settings
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5.
Children spend a large part of the day in the classroom, it should be
comfortable and attractive, with home –like touches.
Adaptation for Children with Special Needs
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Teachers need to adapt the space and modify materials to ensure safety
and accessibility for children with physical or sensory disabilities in the
program.
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Depending on the type and severity of children's disabilities, you may need
to take the steps describe in the box on the next page.
CARING FOR THE CLASROOM AND CHILDREN’S WORK
1.
A System for Classroom Jobs
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One way to introduce caring for the classroom as a shared
responsibility is to have a job chart
Discuss the different jobs and explain to the children how they can
refer to the chart to learn which job they have.
Talk with children about what needs to be done to keep the
classroom in order.
To reinforce the ideas that each child has a role in keeping the
classroom in order, include categories like” Day Off" or “Substitute”
so that everyone’s name appears somewhere on the chart.
Strategies for Protecting Children’s Work
2.
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Protecting children’s work shows respect for their efforts.
Some ways to protect children’s work and convey respect for their
accomplishments
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Provide boundaries to protect work.
Preserve unfinished projects.
Take pictures.
Invite children to share their work.
ESTABLISHING A STRUCTURE FOR EACH DAY
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When time is locked out in an orderly and
consistent fashion, children tend to feel safe,
secure, and develop increasing independence.
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DAILY EVENTS
1. Taking Attendance
– Increases child involvement and name recognition (i.e.,
their own and their friends).
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Display a chart with children’s names and highlight the ones
present.
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Create a “ Who’s Missing” chart where you write the names of
any children who are absent as a concrete reminder that
everyone is still a member of the community even if a child is
not present.
2. Large Group Time
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Large group meetings are most successful when the
meeting time is kept short (i.e., 5-20 minutes).
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Group time helps in communication and provides an
opportunity to talk about and solve problems that affect
the whole group.
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Start the morning meeting in a similar way each day.
Sameness gives the day predictability and consistency.
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If you want to introduce a calendar, use it as a tool to
show children how to keep track of important events.
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A group time just before children go home allows
children to reflect on the day’s events and provides
closure.
3.
Small-Group Time
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The purpose is to present activities briefly to a few children.
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Size of the group depends on the age and the individual needs of
the children.
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In planning and implementing small- group times keep in mind how
children learn best.
4.
Choice Time
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Children choose the interest area in which they would like to work,
whom they want to work with , and what material to use.
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Teaching preschool children how to make choices is such an
important skill that it deserves some systematic teaching with your
group.
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If children are involved in solving a problem they will be more
invested in making the solution work.
5.
Transition Times
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Can be relaxed and provide opportunities for learning and
reinforcing concepts and skills.
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Some ways to structure transition so that they go smoothly and
encourage learning in the process
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Give children notice
Allow sufficient time
Give children specific tasks
Be clear and consistent
Be flexible
Meet individual needs
Use transitions as opportunities to teach
6.
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Mealtimes
Good experiences at mealtimes help children to develop
positive attitudes towards food and nutrition.
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7.
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Make mealtimes sociable
Be prepared
Encourage children to help
Allow enough time
Never use food to reward or punish behavior
Rest Time
Follow a regular routine at rest time so children feel e and
so they can relax.
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Prepare children for rest time
Give children time to settle down at their own pace
Supervise rest time
• THE DAILY SCHEDULE
 Blocks out time and establish a sequence for the activities in the
classroom.
 A good schedule offers a range of different types of activities: active
and quiet time; large, small – group time; indoor and outdoor
playtimes and time for children to select their own activities.
 Be flexible about time when children are working well.
 How you order your day may change as children grow and as you
need more flexibility or time for certain kinds of activities.
 Illustrating the schedule in pictures promotes both literacy and an
understanding of sequence
 Plan for children who wake up early and for children who do not sleep
 Allow time for children to wake up at their own pace
• WEEKLY PLANNING
 It helps to implement The Creative Curriculum in manageable chunks of
time.
 Observation is the basis for weekly as well as all other planning.
 Decision regarding the week are based in part on what topic children are
studying at that time.
• PREPARING FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS
 It can help children make the necessary transition and feel comfortable.
 Keep groups small
 Allow time for hellos and goodbyes
 Select activities children can do independently
 Teach children your signal for getting their attention
 Hold group meeting
1. Building a Relationship with Each Child
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Recognize children’s uniqueness and
promote acceptance.
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Children’s relationships with their
teachers is a strong predictor future
relationships and academic success
(Peisner-Feinberg et al ., 1999).
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Teachers should view children’s
mistakes as opportunities to learn.
Steps for building relationship
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Observe
Talk to children respectively
Be sensitive to children’s feeling
Validate children’s accomplishments
and progress.
2. Helping Children to Make Friends
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A classroom is not a community unless
every child at least one friend.
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Children rejected repeatedly by their
own peers, are in a cycle of rejection
that they often cannot break on their
own.
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Children need three types of skills to
make and keep friends (Kostelnik,
1990)
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Know how to establish contact with
another child.
Maintain a positive relationship
Negotiate when a conflict arises
3. Classroom Strategies that Support Friendships
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Specific steps to overcome the rejection some
children encounter
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Have discussion about making friends.
Coach children.
Pair children to work on a task.
Interpret children’s actions.
Point out the benefits.
Minimize rejection
Involving children in developing rules that govern the
classroom community.
Categories essential for generating classroom rules
Categories might include
1.
2.
3.
4.
Maintaining physical safety
Respecting the right of others
Not hurting the feelings of others
Caring for the classroom
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Limit the number of rules to about four and keep them simple.
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Post rules in the meeting areas, where you can review them with
the children.
TEACHING SOCIAL PROBLEM-SOLVING
SKILLS
Each time when the conflict comes up, take
the opportunity to teach social problem-skills
Take advantage of “Teachable Moments”
1.
Handling Problem between Children
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Whenever possible, try to settle a conflict before
it escalates.
Help children calm down, identify the problem,
and generate solutions
Review solutions and choose one.
Check back.
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2.
Solving Problems that Involves the Whole
Class
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Group decisions promote greater student
investment and accountability.
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Discuss the situation
Generate possible solutions
Encourage everyone to contribute
Make a plan
Assess the result
RESPONDING TO CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR
1.
Common Challenging Behavior
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2.
Testing limits, physical aggression, biting, temper tantrum, and bullying
Determining the Causes of Challenging Behavior
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Challenging behavior are often cries for help.
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Children are often challenged to express their feelings constructively.
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Focus attention on what a child may need rather than a child’s behavior.
3.
Helping Children to Regain Control
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Help them compose themselves by modeling calm behavior
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Screaming at children or isolating them for long periods of time rarely
produce positive results.
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When under stress, reframe the situation and take yourself out of the
picture. Focus on the big picture—the underlining reason behind the
disruptive behavior.