When working with preschoolers, it is important to balance teaching kindergarten readiness skills with the child’s need to explore autonomously. Teachers must take on the responsibility of creating an environment based on their personal teaching style and philosophy that supports children’s learning.
This begins with the classroom environment, and the physical arrangement of the classroom. The classroom would be open, with windows giving natural light. As the children enter the room, the first thing they should see is the learning area. For preschoolers, this area needs to be flexible. This area will be used for both teacher instructed work and child guided activities, and will need to accommodate both large and small group projects of varying sizes. For this reason, this area will have large tables designed to seat eight children in each group. Instead of a decoration theme, this area will display the children’s work. Children will have space to hang paintings as well as prominent positions for sculptures, allowing them to show off their creativity and encouraging their self-expression. Group projects and experiments will be documented with photographs and displayed allowing children to be proud of their learning and reinforcing lessons learned in class time.
As children continue into the classroom they will find learning centers, each devoted to specific skills. The learning centers are designed for exploration, with an emphasis on self-guided learning. All shelves will be at child appropriate heights, with toys and activities accessible to the children without teacher assistance. These learning centers will be a fluid arrangement, with materials and center placement changing to meet the current needs of the children. As these areas change, there will be centers that remain at all times. These areas will include a library area used for reading and writing, a math and science area with building materials and items that could be used in independent experiments, an art and music area with a variety of materials for independent art projects and a variety of musical instruments, and a computer and technology area with age appropriate programs installed on a computer for children’s use and a listening center for independent use of audio books and music.
In addition to the physical arrangement, the classroom environment will also have an emphasis on mutual respect. In this classroom the children and teachers are partners in learning, working together. One of the ways to enforce this standard is to allow the children input in making class rules. Allowing their input shows the teacher respects their wishes and instills a sense of community within the classroom. Their teacher is their leader, but all must work together for the classroom to work. Although the children will have input in rules, there will be teacher guidance, encouraging a few rules. These rules will include listening to others, speaking kindly, and helping others.
While the children and teacher are partners in learning, each partner needs to be able to count on the other to fulfill their duty. As a teacher, they will be expected to listen to the children and understand their needs. These needs may range from the need to use the restroom, to a problem between other children, or a need for more explanation in a lesson. The children have the right to expect their teacher to listen to them and meet their needs in the classroom to the best of their ability. The children in turn will be expected to listen to the teacher and speak up when they do not understand the teacher’s needs.
Through this mutual respect and listening, the teacher and child form a learning partnership. The child knows they will be heard by their teacher, and that their teacher will work to meet their learning needs. The teacher knows they will be listened to as well, and their students will let them know their needs. When each member of this partnership know they will be listened to, they feel comfortable speaking.
Implementing this plan takes a little work on the part of the teacher and the children. It begins with talking on the first day of school, teacher to children. The teacher explains expectations to the children, and then listens to the children’s views on classroom rules. During this first discussion, the children hear the promise of listening from their teacher and see the promise delivered. As class continues, this pattern must be maintained to keep the feeling of mutual respect in the classroom. As this is established, the teacher is able to better see how the children understand curriculum and adjust it accordingly. Additionally the children are able to express their interests, allowing the curriculum to open into areas of study the children chose.
This begins with the classroom environment, and the physical arrangement of the classroom. The classroom would be open, with windows giving natural light. As the children enter the room, the first thing they should see is the learning area. For preschoolers, this area needs to be flexible. This area will be used for both teacher instructed work and child guided activities, and will need to accommodate both large and small group projects of varying sizes. For this reason, this area will have large tables designed to seat eight children in each group. Instead of a decoration theme, this area will display the children’s work. Children will have space to hang paintings as well as prominent positions for sculptures, allowing them to show off their creativity and encouraging their self-expression. Group projects and experiments will be documented with photographs and displayed allowing children to be proud of their learning and reinforcing lessons learned in class time.
As children continue into the classroom they will find learning centers, each devoted to specific skills. The learning centers are designed for exploration, with an emphasis on self-guided learning. All shelves will be at child appropriate heights, with toys and activities accessible to the children without teacher assistance. These learning centers will be a fluid arrangement, with materials and center placement changing to meet the current needs of the children. As these areas change, there will be centers that remain at all times. These areas will include a library area used for reading and writing, a math and science area with building materials and items that could be used in independent experiments, an art and music area with a variety of materials for independent art projects and a variety of musical instruments, and a computer and technology area with age appropriate programs installed on a computer for children’s use and a listening center for independent use of audio books and music.
In addition to the physical arrangement, the classroom environment will also have an emphasis on mutual respect. In this classroom the children and teachers are partners in learning, working together. One of the ways to enforce this standard is to allow the children input in making class rules. Allowing their input shows the teacher respects their wishes and instills a sense of community within the classroom. Their teacher is their leader, but all must work together for the classroom to work. Although the children will have input in rules, there will be teacher guidance, encouraging a few rules. These rules will include listening to others, speaking kindly, and helping others.
While the children and teacher are partners in learning, each partner needs to be able to count on the other to fulfill their duty. As a teacher, they will be expected to listen to the children and understand their needs. These needs may range from the need to use the restroom, to a problem between other children, or a need for more explanation in a lesson. The children have the right to expect their teacher to listen to them and meet their needs in the classroom to the best of their ability. The children in turn will be expected to listen to the teacher and speak up when they do not understand the teacher’s needs.
Through this mutual respect and listening, the teacher and child form a learning partnership. The child knows they will be heard by their teacher, and that their teacher will work to meet their learning needs. The teacher knows they will be listened to as well, and their students will let them know their needs. When each member of this partnership know they will be listened to, they feel comfortable speaking.
Implementing this plan takes a little work on the part of the teacher and the children. It begins with talking on the first day of school, teacher to children. The teacher explains expectations to the children, and then listens to the children’s views on classroom rules. During this first discussion, the children hear the promise of listening from their teacher and see the promise delivered. As class continues, this pattern must be maintained to keep the feeling of mutual respect in the classroom. As this is established, the teacher is able to better see how the children understand curriculum and adjust it accordingly. Additionally the children are able to express their interests, allowing the curriculum to open into areas of study the children chose.