Lesson 8: Environments: Space and Time



Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material students will be able to:

  • Discuss why the classroom environment is an important component of teaching in early childhood education
  • Discuss how environments play a role in helping children feel safe, secure, nurtured, and comfortable
  • Discuss risk vs. danger in outside learning environments

Teaching

The Learning Environment

A Learning Environment consists of the use and organization of the space in a classroom, the daily schedule and routines, and the social and emotional atmosphere. Learning environments are designed to meet all children’s developmental needs. Learning environments need to make children feel safe, secure, nurtured, and comfortable as a member of the classroom community. Children in these developmentally appropriate classrooms become independent and confident learners.

Setting Up and Maintaining a Classroom

The physical environment includes the size of the room, the colors of the walls, the type of flooring, the amount of light, and the number of windows. Generally, the physical environment is what it is; classrooms need to be arranged around the existing structures. It is an educator’s job to make the best of the space: by organizing the furniture, what materials are placed on the shelves, how those items are rotated and providing space for loud and quiet activities. Such a space can support children’s goals, allow educators time to interact in positive ways with children, and to observe children’s interactions with classmates and materials.

By dividing the physical space with interest areas, educators are providing children with space to explore, manipulate objects, make things, experiment and pursue their interests. Spaces can be established to accommodate a few children at a time, a small group of children as well as a large group of children. Often times, an area may have multiple uses – the block area may also be space for large group meeting times, the book area may also be used as a quiet space for children. These areas allow children to feel comfortable, play positively, concentrate on work and play in more complex and elaborate ways.

To set up interest areas, it is important to consider the following aspects:

  • Is there a parent/family communication area
  • Location of electrical outlets, windows, doors and sinks
  • Where is the storage space
  • How can furniture be moved to define play spaces
  • What challenges do you find with the design of the classroom
  • What traffic patterns do you need to determine
  • Which defined areas need protection so work is not destroyed
  • Are quiet areas away from noisy areas
  • What areas need tables and determine what size tables are needed
  • What type of flooring is needed for which activities
  • What areas need to be close to water? Electricity?
  • What areas should be near the windows?
  • Are materials organized and stored to provide easy access for children
  • Does each child have an area to store their personal items?
  • Is the room designed for clear observation from many locations?
  • Are children able to:
    • Make choices and select activities on their own
    • Use materials appropriately and creatively
    • Stay involved for extended periods of time
    • Experience success as they play

Once and environment is designed, take time to evaluate it to determine if the environment conveys the message you wished? Is it working for you and the children? Are there any problems that may be address by changing the environment? Does the environment support brain development?

Click HERE for more information on classroom and brain development.

Learning Centers

Rooms are commonly divided into learning centers to provide a wide variety of learning opportunities for children to maximize interest, engagement and socialization. Centers provide children with flexibility in the time spent on an activity and freedom to participate in a variety of self-selected activities. Children have opportunities for independent and collaborative play, quiet play that is separated from active play, and opportunities to grow in all developmental domains. Children should also have time to solve problems, explore and manipulate items, exchange ideas with peers and to learn appropriate social behaviors. Children should be allowed to work with items of interest, at their pace and level of development. Most activities should be child-initiated. However educators need to be in close proximity to support a child’s learning through teacher-guided interactions and activities. At times, a teacher may need to introduce something new to a child to develop her interest or to take advantage of a teachable moment.

 

Watch this video to learn more about teachable moments. How can you take the grocery store activities and use similar ideas in the classroom?

As an educator it becomes a responsibility to supervise learning centers. It is important for children to know how many peers can play in each area. As preschool teachers, one has to develop a visual aid that children understand to lessen confusion. A picture of two bears in the book corner, or three monkeys at the science table, or six dogs by the block area are easy for children to understand the set limits of how many children belong in those areas. Some programs use clothes pins, name tags or sponges. It is an educator’s responsibility to decide which item to work with and to follow through with consistent use so all children understand the system.

All teachers and aides need to be responsible for supporting children’s play and learning throughout all centers. All staff need to work together and be consistent while guiding children and encouraging supportive friendship behaviors. When interacting with children in various centers, it is important for educators to:

  • Encourage children to share ideas and experiences
  • Engage children in conversation and by asking open-ended questions
  • Extend children’s learning by introducing new ideas and materials
  • Model appropriate pro-social behaviors
  • Support children’s problem solving efforts
  • Observe children’s skills, development and interests
  • Record observations to use when planning and documenting

Let’s look at each of the areas/centers found in developmentally appropriate preschool classrooms. As we look at the areas, let’s highlight what preschoolers are learning social/emotionally, physically, cognitively and language.

Block Area

Social/emotional development – negotiate for materials, determine the number of children allowed, care for materials, follow safety rules, exchange ideas, expand current knowledge and learn to respect viewpoints different from their own

Physical development – small muscles develop as a child places blocks together to balance, bridge or make designs; large muscles develop as they move larger blocks and hollow blocks, eye-hand control is developed as they do all previously mentioned actions

Cognitive development –block play allows for children to recreate mental pictures previously developed into concrete forms, concrete understanding of concepts essential to logical thinking, children learn about shape, size, numbers, order, area, length, patterns, and weight

Language development – children talk about their buildings and the process of building them, children develop writing skills as the make signs and money and they increase vocabulary as adults give them new words to describe what is being observed or when adults ask leading questions like “I wonder…” or “what if…”

Click HERE to learn more about Block Play.

After reading this – Think about the various props that can be added to the block area to increase a child’s learning.

Dramatic Play

Social/emotional - children negotiate roles, agree on topics, and cooperate through different scenarios, recreate life experiences, and cope with fears

Physical development – children develop fine motor skills as they fasten dress-up clothes and dress babies, practice hand-eye coordination and visual discrimination as they put away materials

Cognitive development – children explore math concepts as they count items, set a table and play with money at the “grocery store”, and learn from each other as they share ideas and solve problems together

Language Development – children use language to explain what is happening, to ask and answer questions, to follow the “script” for a current role or character, and they use writing skills to make grocery list, assign drs. appointments and write recipes and notes for peers.

Click HERE to learn more about Dramatic Play.

Now think about essential props to have in a dramatic play area. How can items be added to dramatic play at little cost to providers?

Art Area

Social/emotional – children express their feelings; reflect thoughts and emotions through color, texture and media

Physical development – many fine motor skills: tearing paper, using scissors, make lines, draw shapes with markers, crayons and pencils or hammer nails

Cognitive development – as children translate their ideas and feelings into art, they use thinking skills to plan, organize, select media, and represent their impressions

Language development – children talk about what they are doing, they respond to questions about their creations and increase vocabulary as they learn and use art vocabulary (sculpture, palette).

Click HERE to learn more about Art Areas.

When you look at art activities – what comments are children saying? Is there a way to create more positive process art experiences?

Manipulatives Area

Manipulatives can be broken down into three categories – small building toys, manipulatives to sort and classify and puzzles and games. Each category should provide varying degrees of difficulty and be rotated frequently.

Social/emotional – children learn to cooperate with peers by sharing and taking turns during a board game, build confidence when completing a task or build intricate designs

Physical development – children practice eye-hand coordination when lacing or stringing beads as well as refine small muscles

Cognitive development – children experiment with construction, use problem-solving skills and expand their emerging math skills when counting, sorting and classifying

Language development – children use position words as they put together puzzles, compare size, shape and colors, they develop left to right reading skills, work on visual discrimination when exploring letters

Click HERE to learn more about Manipulation Areas.

After reading this, think about the variety of manipulatives available. Are there some that are better for children to use depending on the level of play they are at developmentally?

Literacy/Book/Library Area

Literacy consists of reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Social/emotional – children learn how people are the same and different, learn others have feelings and experiences similar to them, and develop empathy

Physical development – children use eye muscles as they follow words and develop fine motor skills as they turn pages

Cognitive development – children gain a better understanding of the world around them, develop an understanding of letters and symbols, make connections between stories and things they know and experience and learn to sequence events.

Language development – by hearing stories, children learn new vocabulary and its meaning, develop phonological awareness, and learn the flow of print on a page

Click HERE to learn more about Literacy areas.

Does this give ideas of how to share information with families?

Science/Discovery Area

Social/emotional – children learn to work together to discover, explore and solve problems. Children also learn classroom expectations as they use materials safely and responsibly

Physical development – children develop fine motor skills when using eyedroppers, tweezers and measure ingredients for playdoh, eye-hand coordination when turning gears or using screwdrivers, and strengthen large muscles when pushing and pulling, creating shadows or run to feel their pulse

Cognitive development – children are inquisitive, they gain knowledge as they ask questions, organize their thoughts as they classify, compare. Measure, count and grasp objects

Language development – children share their excitement as they make discoveries and use new words as they describe how things look, feel, taste, touch and smell.

Click HERE to elarn mor about Science/Discovery areas.

What does this article teach one about encouraging discovery?

Music and Movement

Social/emotional – children feel part of a group as they sing and dance together, they feel good about themselves when they share music from home, learn various music evokes different feelings and develop social skills as they play musical games

Physical development – children develop large motor skills as they learn how their body moves to music and they also learn balance and coordination as they move. Fine motor skills are developed as children sing finger plays and make the proper motions.

Cognitive development – children use logic and reasoning as they figure out what instrument sounds like thunder, they create patterns as they use words, body movements or with musical instruments, they learn number concepts as they clap and they think symbolically as they pretend to move like an animal.

Language development – children learn new vocabulary as they listen to music or learn words to a song, they improve listening skills as they notice tempo and pitch changes, and they practice following directions as they respond to songs.

Click HERE to learn more about Introducing music to preschoolers.

Sensory Area

Social/emotional – sensory play encourages children to work together to touch, smell, to hear laughter and other noises as they explore new textures, children can express emotions and thoughts, and some items can calm children and adults

Physical development – children strengthen finger muscles and eye-hand coordination as they manipulate various textures and use large muscles as they carry buckets of sand or other items

Cognitive development – scientific explorations and child engagement, children make observations, classify, make comparisons, measure. Problem solve, learn about volume, short, tall, thin, wide

Language development – children expand their vocabulary using descriptive words: (grainy, sparkly, shallow), literacy skills emerge as children draw letters in sand or pudding, and children ask many questions as they explore new materials

Click HERE to learn more about Sensory Play

Look over the article about sensory table play. The list is quite complete of items that can be placed in a sensory table. Anything missing? Which item would you like to play with? What about some children you know?

Technology Area

Social/emotional – children demonstrate self-direction and independence, wok with other children to solve problems, become “experts” to teach others

Physical development – develops finger strength as they manipulate keys and develop hand-eye coordination as they move the cursor

Cognitive development – children learn cause and effect, create patterns, solve problems, discover solutions and bridge the gap between concrete and abstract

Language development – children learn to identify letters and use computer related terms, gain technical vocabulary and make connections between speech and print

Click HERE to learn more about using Technology Appropriately in the Preschool Classroom.

Does this article offer new understanding of the importance of guided technology in the classroom? Why? Why not?

Outdoor Play

Social/emotional – children gain a sense of accomplishment and growing competence as they explore and use outside materials and equipment in a purposeful way, have a sense of pride when they overcome obstacles, share equipment, and follow safety rules

Physical development – large muscle skill development occurs as children run, skip, hop, climb and gallop. Children learn to take healthy risks, participate in rough and tumble play, and work on fine motor skills as they weed in gardens and sift sand

Cognitive development – outdoors is a natural laboratory for scientific exploration as children explore nature, count petals, recognize patterns on bugs and butterflies and solve problems

Language development – children expand their vocabulary as they learn the names of bugs, flowers and animals. They use a wide variety of words as they describe the many things they see outdoors

Click HERE to read an interesting article called "Don't tell my kid to stop going up the slide!!"

After reading this information, what are your thoughts about climbing up a slide?

Time

Preschool teachers are responsible for many things throughout a child’s day. One of the most important is the physical set-up of the classroom. The next is the daily schedule. A schedule must include individual, small group and large group times, snacks and meals are important, quiet/active and inside/outside times are also important. An educator needs to plan for toileting, handwashing and brushing teeth.

Planning for all of these times can be difficult. The number of transitions can be overwhelming. When is there time to fit planning and reflection into the day also?

Another aspect of the schedule is how much time does one plan for each of the above parts of the day? Does the amount of time change over the course of a year? As an educator, one needs to be aware of children’s behaviors, learning styles and developmental age. Then develop a class schedule.

Things to think about:

  • Play is how children learn. The longer time planned for play (Open learning time), the more children learn
  • The more time for play, the more time for teachers to observe children and guide their learning
  • Plan for small group and individual play. Can they take place during the Open Learning time or does another time have to be scheduled.
  • Plan for large group activities. How many are needed: morning meeting, movement time, story time, show and tell (drag and brag), calendar and music/songs and finger plays? Do all these need to happen daily?
  • Meals and snacks are part of each day. Is snack an actual sit down time with everyone or is it part of the longer Open Learning time? How will meal time length be determined? Will children be part of the clean-up and set up? Is food served family style and made at the program? Do children bring their own meals?
  • Are toileting, washing hands, and brushing teeth going to need a specific time in the schedule or are children going to participate in them as they transition from one activity to another?
  • When does one plan to play outside? How much time needs to be planned for dressing and undressing? Do children go home from outside? How long will the children play outside
  • How many transitions does one want throughout the day? How does one make sure children are not waiting for extended periods of time while in the transition process?
  • When does the schedule need to change?
  • How is the schedule displayed so staff, children and families are aware of what happens?

Click HERE to look at a Schedule for a Pre-K Classroom

How does this schedule compare to one you may be more familiar?


Assessment

Lesson 8 Discussion A

From the video, list 5 ways that the environment is the third teacher.

Lesson 8 Discussion B

How does an educator create learning environments that make children feel safe, secure, nurtured, and comfortable as a member of the classroom community?

Lesson 8 Discussion C

When considering outside play, what is your take on risk vs. danger?