...Appropriate Classroom Environment Taheera Clark Administration of Early Childhood Ed. Programs ECE312 Professor Toro January 16, 2012 Developmentally Appropriate Practices are based on research that proves overwhelmingly that quality early childhood experiences foster optimal development of the whole child. The classroom serves as a developmentally appropriate learning environment which supports children’s initiatives to explore, investigate, observe and experiment, while allowing for appropriate risk taking within safe boundaries. In a developmentally appropriate classroom, assessment of young children is ongoing, authentic, and purposeful. Observational assessment shows children’s progress over time, while work samples and documentation of students’ work help to guide the curriculum plan. Teachers adapt instruction to the developmental needs and learning styles of the students; results of assessment are used to improve and individualize instruction. Teachers create an intellectually engaging, responsive environment to promote each child’s learning and development. This environment fosters self-esteem, self-concept and social competence. The following guidelines describe aspects of a developmentally appropriate environment: * The classroom contains areas in which children can select and plan their activities. * The classroom has areas for quiet and active social interactions. * The classroom contains clearly labeled areas with words and pictures to encourage...
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...The terms “classroom management” and “discipline” are often used interchangeably (Bellon, Bellon, & Blank, 1992). However, too often the term “discipline” focuses attention only on misbehavior, ill deeds, and punishments. The term discipline has two significant limitations. First, discipline highlights the individual (rather than the classroom), and secondly, it connotes negative behavior. Hence, Classroom management is more appropriate term that is being used to highlight all those positive behaviors and decisions a teacher make to facilitate the learning process of their student. It refers to all those activities necessary to create and maintain an orderly learning environment. Classroom management is more than disciplining misbehaviors since it encompasses teacher’s obligations to promote student learning which reflects the shift from historical paradigm of obedience. In line with that, it promotes responsibility to students for self-guidance in a way that they themselves monitor their own behavior during their period in class. A teacher functions as an “authoritative parent” that also addresses violence, irresponsibility and family instability which are all considered as societal issues. This can all be avoided through proper ways of teaching and ways in which students would participate attentively as if they are enjoying while learning Psychology has been applied to develop management systems since it presents ideas about motivating student behavior. It also identifies...
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...There are several conditions that have an influence on the teaching environment. Negative classroom conditions as well as disruptive behaviors can have an impact on the teaching environment. The classroom needs to have certain conditions met to facilitate effective learning. For example, a classroom that lacks order, structure, and organization is not going to be an effective learning environment. If a teacher is not organized, she may waste instructional time looking for materials or trying to decide what she wants to work on next. A classroom that lacks structure will be a chaotic classroom with students unsure of what they are supposed to do. Teachers need to invest time in becoming organized; they should set up their classroom so they know where to find what they need, and they need to have well planned lessons. A teacher needs to have excellent classroom management skills to incorporate structure into the classroom. Classroom management means teaching students the procedures of the classroom. When students know the classroom procedures less time is wasted. Another negative condition that influences the teaching environment is poor communication between teacher and students. A teacher needs to effectively communicate information to her students. When poor communication exists students may become frustrated and not connect with the teacher. An effective strategy is to get to know the students; what are their likes and dislikes, how does each student learn best, and incorporate...
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...diverse group in the United States is our youngest children, and they will make the nation more diverse as they age. Almost 9 million young people age 5 to 17 speak language other than English in their home and 2.6 million of the have difficult speaking English” (Sarvavia-Sore, 2008). We as educators today have to learn to accept and embrace today’s new changing society and population as it continues to grow. Welcoming diversity inside of the classroom comes with changing a lot of old modern day rules and regulations. However in order for all students to succeed every education system has to design and creates ways to embrace diversity. As a Head Start teacher I found it very challenging when I encountered my first Hispanic student. It was very difficult to get her to learn and interact on the same level as the other student. However thru many different strategies and solutions I was able to see progress and growth within her. Diversity is accepted when educators adjust their curriculum, set high expectation for all students, develop the appropriate physical...
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...Young children thrive in a positive, social learning environment and acquire new knowledge through interacting and socializing with peers. At this age, children are constantly evolving as active learners and require a multitude of stimulants to ensure learning is authentic. Teachers must take into consideration the many factors involved in the learning process including when, where, and how children play. Play holds a crucial role in the development of young children, yet play-based learning has been absent from early childhood classrooms for many years. Children interact, learn, and progress through play, whether it be with adults, other children, or by themselves. Mann, Hund, Hesson-McInnis, & Roman (2016) stated, “Early childhood is characterized...
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...Introduction Through the graduate courses at Iowa State University, I have strengthened my understanding of literate environments that foster reading and writing by integrating foundational knowledge, instructional practices, approaches and methods, curriculum materials, and the appropriate use of assessments. Attached is a PowerPoint presentation and it illustrates a literate environment and the importance of creating an environment that fosters reading and writing. Artifact Summary Analyzing My Learning About Literate Environments My graduate coursework at Iowa State has prepared me for creating a literate environment. As a literacy coach it is important to know the importance of creating a literate environment as well as be best practices for fostering reading and writing in a classroom. Additionally, my new understanding of literate environments has allowed for ensuring that literacy integrates foundational knowledge, instructional practices, approaches and methods, curriculum materials, and the appropriate use of assessments....
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...Competency Goal 1 To establish and maintain a safe and healthy learning environment My goal is to establish and maintain a learning environment that is safe and healthy for children. This goal is important because children need a safe and healthy learning environment in order to get the best out of their experience at school. If they do not feel safe, or their families feel as if they are not safe, then they are in a non-suitable environment. A classroom should provide environments as safe as possible to reduce the inevitable situation of accidents Safety To meet my goal I will keep the playground as free from harmful objects and people as possible. I will also make sure that the classroom cleaning chemicals will be put out of children’s reach. I then will post fire drills and tornado drill directions clearly in the classroom and practice them frequently with the children. I will also provide a first aid kit readily available for adults to use and be knowledgeable of proper usage. On a regular basis I will check the toys in the classroom for broken objects and remove anything that poses a threat to the children and keep myself informed of any safety recalls or alerts on any toys or other equipment in the classroom. Healthy My goal is to have a classroom that encourages healthy practices to keep both the children and the teachers safe and free from disease as possible. Healthy children are always the best type of children. When they are...
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...There are many ways a teacher could provide a developmentally appropriate and enriching environment to support infant and toddlers. First teachers should be caring and respective towards there children because they are a big impact on their students. Additionally, the teacher should create a safe and healthy environment in the classroom. Teachers should always separate the diaper changing area or bathroom from the classroom and especially keep it away from the kitchen where snacks and food are stored. They also should keep sleeping areas and toys very clean to promote a healthy environment for infants and toddlers. By doing these things it promotes basic trust between the teacher and her students which will create an enriching environment for...
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...Teaching Environment Influences Heather Buchanan Cabral Grand Canyon University: EDU 536 November 21, 2012 Teaching Environment Influences There are a variety of things on any given day that can create a distraction or interruption to the teaching and learning experience of a classroom. In the Win-Win Discipline approach they broke disruptive behaviors into four areas aggression, breaking rules, confrontations, and disengagement (Charles and Senter). Behavior is not the only factor in distractions in a classroom there can also be classroom conditions that affect the classroom. Reflecting on my own experience and that of other teachers there were ten things that seemed to be the most encountered interruptions to classroom learning. While looking at the disruptions in the classroom from a teacher perspective, the most common disruptions were talking without permission or out of turn, and making noises. When examining the Win-Win and Real discipline, and Pragmatic Classroom I feel that you would examine why the student would be talking or making noises and then guide the student back to the appropriate behavior, and remind the students that the behavior is not part of the expectations that were established. On most occasions the reminder of expectations especially when cooperatively made with the teacher and the students would be enough to correct the behavior and also provide a teaching moment for the whole class by rehearsing the appropriate behavior together...
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...rewarding, yet challenging journey to create an educational system where excellence and equality walk hand in hand (Frost & Pearpoint, 2004). Throughout the last several years, the topic of inclusion has been at the epicenter of debate among educators, administrators, and parents. Inclusion remains a controversial concept because it relates to educational and social values, as well as to our understanding of personal worth ("Special Education Inclusion", 2001). Placing students with varying disabilities into regular education classrooms causes misunderstanding with educators and administrators on the advantages and disadvantages of inclusion. Inclusion is a "philosophy that brings students, families, educators, and community members together to create schools and other social institutions based on acceptance, belonging, and community."(Salend, 2001, p. 5) Inclusion is practiced in schools to establish collaborative, supportive, and nurturing environments for learners that are based on giving all students the services and accommodations that they need to learn, as well as respecting and learning from each other's individual differences. (Salend, 2001) Inclusion is not necessarily just focused on students with disabilities. When implemented correctly it is also designed to be able to accommodate and respond to the needs of regular education students as well. Salend (2001) stated that there are four main principles that provide a framework and summarize the philosophies on which...
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...experience I visited the classrooms of both a veteran teacher and a novice teacher. During the classroom observation, an observation form was checked off that examined the planning and preparing of the lesson, the classroom environment, and the delivery of the instruction to the students. After the observation, focus on the differences in their instructional behaviors, quality of their instructional practices, and how they executed teaching techniques to accommodate the diversity within their classroom. First teacher observed was Mr. Wright; he is a second year health and physical education within the school district. The following checklist will give you a look into Mr. Wright’s health class. CAMELOT SCHOOLS CLASSROOM OBSERVATION School: Camden City Accelerated Date: January 30, 2014 Teacher/Class: Mr. Wright; Health Observed Time: 12:40 – 1:10 Domain I – Planning and Preparation Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Needs Improvement Unacceptable Not Observed Demonstrates knowledge of core curriculum and student development X Lesson plans current and available X Uses materials, resources and technology to make subject matter accessible to all students X Teachers plan for student assessment is fully aligned with the instructional outcomes X Domain II – Environment Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Needs Improvement Unacceptable Not Observed Creates an environment of respect and rapport...
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...Curriculum Planning This paper will explore the effects on a child’s growth and development. What factors, such as, poverty and abuse can have on the development of a child. What educators can do to help identify delays and develop appropriate behavior in children. Also, this paper will explore what children are learning in preschool and programs that can be useful in the growth and development of children. There are differences in the growth and development of every child. Growth refers to specific changes and increases in the child’s actual size (Allen, K. & Marotz, L. 2010, p 24). Development refers to any increase in complexity, from simple to more complicated, and detailed (Allen, K. & Marotz, L. 2010, p 25). Teachers and caregivers often get these confused. Growth defined as an increase in size, whereas development defined by the improvement and acquisition of skills. Growth often limited by the lack of resources and development, will still take place by using the resources a child possesses. Our textbook, states “growth and development are influenced by a child’s unique genetic makeup and the quality of the everyday environment, which includes nurturing, health care, and opportunities to learn the full range of skills that are evidence of developmental progress” (Allen, K. & Marotz, L. 2010, p 25). Every child grows and develops differently according to how the child acquires the necessary skills in six key developmental areas (Allen, K. & Marotz...
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...the interviews regarding student behavior and its implications for the classroom, teaching and learning. NOTE: If possible provide a copy of district/school documents that can be retained by course instructor. It is important for you to follow the suggested format closely. Section 1: Document Review (Give a brief description of the school environment, socioeconomic status, and type of location, grade levels or whatever else you can to describe the school setting) 1. What did you discover about the structure and documents the district/school established for maintaining/supporting an environment that that minimizes disruption to the learning process? 2. What do you believe are the strengths and weaknesses of the structure(s) and documents? Were there gaps? What could be done to improve the structures/documents? 3. If you were a teacher in the school/district, would the structure be sufficiently helpful? Section 2: Questions to use for teacher and administrator Interviews 4. What is the districts/schools philosophy and policy regarding student behavior and discipline? 5. With respect to student behavior and discipline, does the school have a student handbook and or code of conduct as well as clear general procedures for teachers to follow? 6. What do you believe are the most significant student behavior requirements/rules/regulations: a) In the school b) In the classroom? 7. What are the primary strategies for disciplining students for inappropriate...
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...Early Childhood Environment The Nebraska Department of Education and the Iowa Department of Education (1994) describe an appropriate learning environment for the young child: "The primary learning environment provides time and opportunities for children to experience and respond creatively to their world. The learning environment is social in nature, providing a secure and stimulating climate for all children. It provides time and opportunities for children to take appropriate risks and to explore and investigate their world. Children have experiences which encourage them to interact with others, to develop interpersonal skills, and to work and learn cooperatively." (p. 3) Lombardi (1992) notes that the early childhood environment should be based on developmentally appropriate practice: "Programs for young children should not be seen as either play-oriented or academic. Rather, developmentally appropriate practice, whether in a preschool or a primary classroom, should respond to the natural curiosity of young children, reaffirm a sense of self, promote positive disppositions towards learning, and help build increasingly complex skills in the use of language, problem solving, and cooperation." Effective Grouping Practices An important organizational issue in early childhood education is the grouping of children. Traditionally, children have been grouped by grade-level designations according to age and ability. Many effective early childhood programs do not follow this...
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...information to be interesting Team Benefits of Inclusion for Students With Disabilities 1. Friendships 2. Increased social initiations, relationships and networks 3. Peer role models for academic, social and behavior skills 4. Increased achievement of IEP goals 5. Greater access to general curriculum 6. Enhanced skill acquisition and generalization 7. Increased inclusion in future environments 8. Greater opportunities for interactions 9. Higher expectations 10. Increased school staff collaboration 11. Increased parent participation 12. Families are more integrated into community From Regular Education . Not everyone is excited about bringing students with disabilities into the mainstream classroom setting. Tornillo (1994), president of the Florida Education Association United, is concerned that inclusion, as it all too frequently is being implemented, leaves classroom teachers without the resources, training, and other supports necessary to teach students with disabilities in their classrooms. Consequently, "the disabled children are not getting appropriate, specialized attention and care, and the regular students' education is disrupted constantly." He further argues that inclusion does not make sense in light of pressures from state legislatures and the public at large to develop higher academic standards and to improve the academic achievement of students. Lieberman (1992) agrees:We are testing more, not less. We are locking teachers into constrained...
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