My Classroom Setting and Environment:
Currently, I am teaching in the Pleasant Valley School District in an inclusive preschool program. I work in a co-teaching model with two other certified teachers (Michaela & Bailie). We have two conjoined classrooms, with Michaela and Bailie as the anchor teachers for each room and then I am the floater teacher between the classrooms. We have a morning program from 8:30am to 11:00am, a lunch and literacy component (for Free and Reduced Families and Title 1 Funding) from 11:00am-12:15pm, and then the afternoon program from 12:30pm to 3:00pm. The philosophy of the program is very focused on each child’s interest, ability, experience, and skills and taking all of that and making learning fun and meaningful. In both the morning and afternoon programs we have multiple age ranges (3-5 years old), various learners, needs, abilities and skills in the classroom including children who have special needs, 4 Year Old Funding, and Title 1 Funding.
In each classroom the physical environment is very similar. Throughout the classrooms you will see multiple centers for children to freely explore. The centers consist of a writing center, library, dramatic play, sensory, science, free choice shelves (manipulatives, games, puzzles, shape/color sorters, etc.) and an art center. Along with the centers all the classrooms materials, shelves, tables, sinks, and chairs are accessible for children. While reading about Susan Blow (the US pioneer who brought the “kindergarten” to the U.S), I discovered we had similar thoughts in regards to the environment and children learning through hands-on, meaningful experiences. She believed in order for children to learn the classroom environment should be bright and cheerful and the furniture should be for small children, having low tables and short benches. Susan's kindergartens instill the desire to learn through hands on learning and exploring. My classroom(s) are set up for the hands on learning through exploring and learning the centers, toys, and materials. Susan's kindergartens have/had hands-on learning with having many plants, books, and toys for children to explore during work and play. She also set up learning about colors, shapes, and fractions while using hands on materials like balls and blocks. We use more than balls and blocks to create the exploratory environment but have similar thoughts about the importance of learning through play.
Currently, I am teaching in the Pleasant Valley School District in an inclusive preschool program. I work in a co-teaching model with two other certified teachers (Michaela & Bailie). We have two conjoined classrooms, with Michaela and Bailie as the anchor teachers for each room and then I am the floater teacher between the classrooms. We have a morning program from 8:30am to 11:00am, a lunch and literacy component (for Free and Reduced Families and Title 1 Funding) from 11:00am-12:15pm, and then the afternoon program from 12:30pm to 3:00pm. The philosophy of the program is very focused on each child’s interest, ability, experience, and skills and taking all of that and making learning fun and meaningful. In both the morning and afternoon programs we have multiple age ranges (3-5 years old), various learners, needs, abilities and skills in the classroom including children who have special needs, 4 Year Old Funding, and Title 1 Funding.
In each classroom the physical environment is very similar. Throughout the classrooms you will see multiple centers for children to freely explore. The centers consist of a writing center, library, dramatic play, sensory, science, free choice shelves (manipulatives, games, puzzles, shape/color sorters, etc.) and an art center. Along with the centers all the classrooms materials, shelves, tables, sinks, and chairs are accessible for children. While reading about Susan Blow (the US pioneer who brought the “kindergarten” to the U.S), I discovered we had similar thoughts in regards to the environment and children learning through hands-on, meaningful experiences. She believed in order for children to learn the classroom environment should be bright and cheerful and the furniture should be for small children, having low tables and short benches. Susan's kindergartens instill the desire to learn through hands on learning and exploring. My classroom(s) are set up for the hands on learning through exploring and learning the centers, toys, and materials. Susan's kindergartens have/had hands-on learning with having many plants, books, and toys for children to explore during work and play. She also set up learning about colors, shapes, and fractions while using hands on materials like balls and blocks. We use more than balls and blocks to create the exploratory environment but have similar thoughts about the importance of learning through play.