Sunday, August 23, 2015
Best Environments
The environment (the early childhood classroom) is considered the "Third Teacher" according to the Reggio Emilia Approach. Share your ideas of engaging environments that you have created or seen in other classrooms. Make sure you provide a brief description of how it is set up and also a picture.
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To be considered the “Third Teacher” the classroom environment, is because It helps the children interact, learn, and avoid unproductive activities that’s why I think Areas should be set up to accommodate, facilitate, and challenge the children’s thinking. The environment actually becomes another teacher in the classroom if it’s feels safe, comfortable, of course it should encourage activities and the materials invite children to play and the Most important of all is that we have to make a big challenge in the set up. The way we design our environment room will be the way that children learn, feel, interact among other things. To me personally I would like my room to a place with many plants and all wood►that way children will feel welcome in a place full of life.
ReplyDeleteJohanna Torres
In my classroom all furniture is wood and has warm colors. Last year my area director, Barbara Burt designed my classroom she did an excellent job in decorating and adding materials to the environment. I was very lucky to be one of the selected teachers to the Combination EHS Program. Children loved the classroom and I can see how comfortable and free they feel. My classroom environment is my third teacher without doubt.
ReplyDeleteThe Reggio Emilia Approach is an inspirational approach to early childhood education which values the child as strong and capable. According to the Reggio Emilia Approach the environment is considered to be the “Third Teacher” because the environment inspires curriculum. The environment is mean to make the children feel welcome or just like in home. schools for young children should be spaces that attend to social interaction, problem solving, dramatic play, storytelling, fantasy, struggle and its resolution, and communication to further the child’s understanding of the world. However, in order to accomplish that the environment has to offer opportunities to think, construct and create for children. Therefore, the work for educators is to attempt to create a space that supports the interaction and engagement of the children with their environment. Basically, the school puts at the disposition of the children the places and the materials, and the students make their new stories and worlds fueled by their imaginations.
ReplyDeleteThis school year I got the opportunity to move to the Early HeadStart Program and i have been setting up the classroom these past few weeks. Its a brand new classroom with new furniture and material it was been very fun to set up the environment for the children. Its a very comfortable and inviting environment with warm colors and soft areas I cant wait for the children to come and explore their new environment.
ReplyDeleteSetting up an environment where children and their families feel welcome, it's one of my goals this school year. This school year my classroom was designed a little different, I used only baskets to place the toys, the cozy area is designed with different pillows with natural colors. Furniture and walls are painted with warm colors. I tried to add natural wooden toys into the different areas. My goal is to create an inviting environment where children feel motivate to learn, explore and share with peers
ReplyDeleteOne of the most important points within an environment is familiar with your home feel. because it is the "third teacher" in a classroom. An environment that provides different areas to help children explore new things to help them discover their skills. This environment should have areas that provide tools and interesting material that helps them play and explore new knowledge daily, enriching each of their skills. A quiet
ReplyDeleteenvironment to invite them to play and feel comfortable as if they were at home. One of my goals is to one day get to have my own environment, and deliver the children to develop their skills and abilities. Something neutral, natural and full of life.
When creating classroom environments we have child sized wooden furniture, that is accessible, include wooden toys vs. a lot of plastics, soft elements such as pillows, area rugs, fabrics, soft puppets/plush animals, variety of textured baskets to hold materials in and. Empty baskets for children to carry/move items around, natural objects to explore (such as rocks, gems, tree bark/cuttings, seashells), mirrors to reflect sunlight and view reflections, light tables, open-ended /loose parts as materials for "child art" expressions, family photos... so many details are involved. Creating spaces that are inviting to all that enter and provide a sense of belonging, comfort and support truly is an intentional process. However, equally important to the "third teacher" or partners if you will, are the actual facilitators (adults/children.) You may have beautifully designed environments; what really matters are the caring, respectful, reciprocal relationships and interactions that occur between adults and children. ;)
ReplyDeleteOops, sorry FORGOT again.... Francisca
ReplyDeleteWhen I used to work in the classroom I had fun setting up my classroom environment because I felt like I was setting up my own little house. In my classroom I had it divided into different sections , dramatic play area, kitchen area, library area, circle time, science, and block area. I worked with toddler and in my center it was allowed to have glass because the children were barely 24 months. However, If I get to work with older children I would like to incorporate glass items into the classroom. Furthermore, I would ask the parents to bring photos from home and I would put it around the classroom in wooden frames. Children would go up the photos and smile and then try to show it their peers. In conclusion,The environment it is my third teacher because my environment also teaches the children through there 5 senses. They can smell, touch, see , hear, and why not taste.
ReplyDeleteI agree that indeed “the classroom is the third teacher.” I believed that the classroom environment can influence children behaviors and learning skills just like teachers do. If the environment provides plenty of engaging activities and material that are meaningful and interesting to children, they will feel safe and motivated to explore their surroundings. A welcoming and safe classroom should provide enough materials for all the children, should allow children to be more independent by having easy access to material and select their own toys or activities. But most importantly teachers should provide materials that reflect the diversity of children’s culture and should be relevant to children life such as real cooking supplies, plants, rocks, twigs and fabric of different textures. In addition I think the toys, supplies and furniture’s should be age-appropriate. Each area should provide soft toys, cushion and plenty of room for children to move around.
ReplyDelete-Beatriz M
I believe that a safe evironment is our first priority, on the site I work we use the ECERS tool accomodate our classroom. Currently I am in the process of moving into a new classroom and I will use the ECERS tool plus adding the resource I have learn in this class. Like adding nature elements, plants a pet. I will ask parents to bring photos of the family to add in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI work for the ECS Head Start Home Based program which maybe considered Reggie Emilio or close. in my line of work i work in the families home to enrich the early development of families children lives. Often times families have a small area their children can call their own and some times families are not as fortunate to have a special place for the child. I am given the opportunity to educate families about how each child's environment plays a big part in the development of their lives for instants Home Based is a beautiful program because each child can feel safe, loved and encourage in the comfort of their home which in long term will help with studying, homework and teaching their younger siblings in the home. I recently visted the Montgomery Head Start center and noticed that each class room had a family area, where a poster was hung of the students families doing things in those areas for instants reading book, using the computer play with the blocks even in the manipulative area their where pictures of family's at the manipulative table playing with play duh. I also watched a few videos on you tube (Links Below) and it shows how the Reggie Emilio approach captures not only to the family but to the student and allows the art and creativity to hand on the walls in the classrooms. It also showed how nurturing the environment is and valuable to the students. If i ever go back into the classroom i will try to pull from the Reggie Emilio approach as much as possible when I set a area up and reflect on my students learning and behavior.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXrYQZxj0Pk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bChxefnk4L0
I work for the ECS Head Start Home Based program which maybe considered Reggie Emilio or close. in my line of work i work in the families home to enrich the early development of families children lives. Often times families have a small area their children can call their own and some times families are not as fortunate to have a special place for the child. I am given the opportunity to educate families about how each child's environment plays a big part in the development of their lives for instants Home Based is a beautiful program because each child can feel safe, loved and encourage in the comfort of their home which in long term will help with studying, homework and teaching their younger siblings in the home. I recently visted the Montgomery Head Start center and noticed that each class room had a family area, where a poster was hung of the students families doing things in those areas for instants reading book, using the computer play with the blocks even in the manipulative area their where pictures of family's at the manipulative table playing with play duh. I also watched a few videos on you tube (Links Below) and it shows how the Reggie Emilio approach captures not only to the family but to the student and allows the art and creativity to hand on the walls in the classrooms. It also showed how nurturing the environment is and valuable to the students. If i ever GO BACK into the classroom i will try to pull from the Reggie Emilio approach as much as possible when I set a area up and reflect on my students learning and behavior.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXrYQZxj0Pk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bChxefnk4L0
A positive and learning environment is based on the classroom arrangements and physical setting. The right temperature and natural light is important to make the room appealing for children and promote learning experiences. When creating my own classroom environment, I will invite and encourage children to share their ideas. This will make them feel welcome and comfortable.
ReplyDeleteFind preschool classroom ideas in the link below.
http://thebestdecor.com/233589-reggio-emilia-preschool-classroom
Setting up the environment is very important in my classroom we have natural light, wooden furnishings, and recyclable materials. One of my favorite areas is the art. We have a lot of open-ended material free for the children to use. Last week one of my students saw a flower vase in the house area and said, "I have one at home" I relied, "Is it the same or is it different?" He replied, "Different it has lots of colors." With that idea I set up a table with black trays, water colors, soft music and the vase in the middle. I informed the children that there was an area they could go to if they wanted to paint the vase from the kitchen or if they wanted to paint a vase they had at home. Many children painted their own vase. The little boy that talked about the vase painted his paper with many colors.
ReplyDeleteI think the environment is very important for the children and totally agree that it is “the third teacher”. The children need an environment where they can feel welcome, secure, and comfortable. We have to take in consideration everything, the light, the colors, the setup of the areas, the materials that we are going to use, all of those things are very important. I have worked at different preschools and through these experiences I totally agree that the setting up of the classroom is very important, I have seen how the inappropriate environment has an emotional impact on the behavior of the children, especially on the toddlers. After reading this chapter and watching the video, I have new ideas that I hope one day when I have my own classroom I can implement.
ReplyDeleteYolanda Padilla
ReplyDeleteCurrently in my preschool classroom, my reading area has pillows and beanbags and at times, I put a small tent in that area and the kids enjoy going in there to read or just to chat with their friends. I do like to change my dramatic play area into a store for shopping or into a vet office when, we talk about community helpers. I am
gather additional ideas in tis class that I would like to implement in the future.
I think the environment is one of the most important factors of the classroom. I say this because if the children aren't comfortable in their environment then they may not interact as they are expected to do so. Ive seen classrooms that accommodate everything that a teacher places major emphasis on in their curriculum. As far as I can remember back in preschool we had reading stations set up with reclining chairs and beanbags. There was a huge rug with ABC's, numbers, shapes, colors, and several other things that we could use to learn as well as a few work stations to for groups to do a variety of things in the classroom. In this environment I felt pretty comfortable due to the fact that almost everyt area in the classroom had something to do with learning.
ReplyDeleteThe classroom is considered the third teacher because it is an environment where children learn and interact with their peers. Every item that is in the classroom is meant to help children explore and new skills. In the past I have added a little bit of nature to my classroom. I would have the children plant flowers and we would keep the plants in our classroom. Together, the children and I would water all of the plants in the classroom. We also had a pet fish. Every child would get a turn to feed the fish.
ReplyDeleteI find the learning environment to be one of the main things that aide child in positive/healthy growth and development. At my center, we make it a point to add real life tools in different areas monthly to assist in the growth and development of the children. Providing an interesting and ever-changing environment for children to explore is an ideal way to develop their curiosity, provide opportunities for them to ask questions, and to talk about things they have discovered In this photo we have added measuring tape and a stethoscope. The children really enjoy checking their peer’s height and taking turns listening to each other’s heartbeats.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMy daycare center is small buy we try to bring out the best by arranging the furniture differently each month. Also, we bring new toys and we take out some of them too. We like variety. We try to put photos and name-tags on everything so kids can start to relate to those things. We love being outside so we put a lot of effort in making our playyard really fun and also appropriate to promote their development
ReplyDelete(photo)
https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/wl/t34.0-12/12476415_10201407993358123_923164833_n.jpg?_nc_eui=ARgPq-G-piECKt-18qf5JL3o1mCiA6VTakJyl5M4cxiyzHzCiWSOVA&oh=deeeb08d3acbc6f05d7f109fc1dcd5b2&oe=56E506F7
A nurturing and caring environment foster the child to explore, engage and interact. If the environment has a space well organize, offer different activities, and open-ended materials the children will engage and the environment can be seen as a third teacher. One of the areas that I like is the block area because the child have the opportunity to invent and create. There should be a space created only for block play. Also, teachers should not limit the time when children are playing with blocks. This could be a great time for teachers to observe the child and take notes.
ReplyDeleteBest environments, should include natural elements such plants, rocks, water, dirt. It will also be cozy, welcoming and inviting to explore and play. I love the ideas of the outside classroom, there is a lot to and practically you can spent most of the day outside. Doing gardening, building, making art, using science and dramatic play as well.
ReplyDeleteEnvironments in the classroom are very important in my opinion because as some stated, "It is important for the children to feel safe" and I believe that is very true. Just like adults, we all have our comfort zone at work and at home, the children need that as well. What I try to bring into a classroom are items that are not from the area. We live in the desert so all we see is dirt and dry areas with cactus and rocks, I try to bring items that are not from the area. For example, every fall season I go out of town and I bring back with me maple leaves and pine cones to share with the kiddos and I place them in the science area through November.
ReplyDeleteThe classroom environment is extremely important and a key factor in a child's social emotional development. I have seen many preschool environments, there is one that I particularly like and its the child care center that they have at the community college here in the desert. The place is very nature based, they have lots of plants and neutral colors in their classrooms. They have gardens and a huge dirt trench where the children can play. I absolutely loved it, everything is accessible to the children and they really seemed to enjoy it. I would really like to incorporate something similar into my childcare because the children really seem to enjoy the aspects of nature.
ReplyDeleteThe environment play a key role in child learning. The classroom setting should be open-ended learning, the materials are assessable to all children without limite for learning. When I had my training at the college, the room setting there were pleasant and inviting. The place is nature based family promoted. They had garden outside, the children can go look for insect and water the garden and inside the classroom, the family portraits are on the wall and the furnishing bright and soft, there are easy for the children to access. If I should have my classroom I would want something like this, inviting and welcome for the children to explore.
ReplyDeleteLinda
According to the Reggio Emilia Approach, the environment is considered to be the “Third Teacher” because an engaging environment gives children the opportunity to interact and learn on all levels of development. I have incorporated outdoors into the classroom before and children absolutely love it because they get to experience the same thing but in a whole different way. We went on a nature walk as a class around the school area and I let the children explore and collect rocks, pebbles, twigs, feathers, leaves and other materials they could find. Then we brought the materials into the classroom and spread them out on the tables so that each individual child can share what they found, after that we set up a table where the children take turns in small groups to make their own art using materials of their choice. I remember one child made a person with leaves and sticks another child made a bug with the leaves, dirt and sticks. It is a great activity to do with children and a great lesson plan too. Sorry I don’t have any pictures with me on this activity.
ReplyDeleteThe classroom setting is very important to a child. When I had my classroom I made sure it was very welcoming and bright colors on the wall. My toys were in wooden baskets I went for more of a natural look. My children love playing with the water tables inside. I would have one table with blue food coloring in it with mammals. I would talk to them about keeping the water clean at the beaches and try to relate to our curriculum. Then I would have another table with green food coloring, explaining to the children this what our beaches look like when you don't throw your trash away. Then I would talk about the food chain if we don't keep it clean are sea creatures wont be able to eat. The children love this activity because they get to play with water and the animals. I don't believe that water tables are just for outside. When we go back to circle I have the children tell me what they like the most that day.
ReplyDeleteBest Environment
ReplyDeleteIt is important to try to create a perfect environment where children can grow in the developmental domains: social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and language in a healthy and better-off place. We are in the era where most of the time we are over protective with our children and in many ways we don’t allow them to be themselves in a natural environment, this often done because of a lack of trust and security. The elements of the environment are very important because they will help the children to think, feel, and act in accordance of the environment. Two elements inspired me: the freedom to be themselves and the love from the practitioners (A.K.A. teachers).
This can help to create the best environment.
The freedom to be themselves and lead the children to created their own world. They can learn in a pleasing environment where they can be lead and grow effectively using the whole areas. The best environment starts with natural materials, where the children can do many things in a safety place.
https://www.andrews.edu/~storie/CurriculumHome.htm
Best Environment
ReplyDeleteIt is important to try to create a perfect environment where children can grow in the developmental domains: social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and language in a healthy and better-off place. We are in the era where most of the time we are over protective with our children and in many ways we don’t allow them to be themselves in a natural environment, this often done because of a lack of trust and security. The elements of the environment are very important because they will help the children to think, feel, and act in accordance of the environment. Two elements inspired me: the freedom to be themselves and the love from the practitioners (A.K.A. teachers).
This can help to create the best environment.
The freedom to be themselves and lead the children to created their own world. They can learn in a pleasing environment where they can be lead and grow effectively using the whole areas. The best environment starts with natural materials, where the children can do many things in a safety place.
https://www.andrews.edu/~storie/CurriculumHome.htm