ECE 430 week 2 journal

ECE 430 Week One Case Study

Focus: Classroom Environment

Park Lane Early Childhood Center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young

Children (NAEYC). Mrs. Ashland was thrilled when the center director , Mrs. Ford , hired her . Mrs.

Ashland knew that the center had demonstrate d its com mitment to using developmentally, culturally , and

linguistically appropriate and effective teaching approaches in order to become accredited . On a daily

basis Mrs. Ashland strives to engage in meaningful relationships with her students and their families,

collaborate with her colleagues , and create a safe learning environment.

When you walk into Mrs. Ashland’s 4-year -old preschool classroom at Park Lane Early Childhood

Center , you instantly feel welcomed. The learning environment provides a secur e and stimulating

climate. The entryway is covered with a beautiful mosaic made up of primary colored tiles with a skylight

above. The children’s artwork is displayed along the walls , and you can tell that each child is a valued

member of the group. The displays containing the children’s work are at eye level , as are the materials for

student use , and whiteboards. You can also gain a sense of the appreciation for each child’s culture as you

look at the friends and family board displayed in the room. Mrs. Ashland has arranged the room so that

the children are able to easily move around the classroom , which promotes a social learning environment.

Each child has an individual space to store personal belongings or hang jackets. The classroom contains

many elements such as rugs, cushions , and rocking chairs that give the class a cozy feel. In the center of

the room , there is a large carpeted area where the class can meet as a whole group. At the beginning of

each day, the class meets in this area to listen to the daily schedule. Throughout the day , Mrs. Ashland has

the children gather on the carpet to listen to stories, engage in language experience s, learn concepts,

engag e in conversations , and simply build their classroom community. All around the classroom there

are learning center s that facilitate a variety of developmentally appropriate activities to be conducted

simultaneously.

Mrs. Ashland’s classroom also opens up to a covered patio so that student learning can be extended

outside. This outdoor area is surrounded by a safety fence that protects the children from accessing the

street or other potential hazards. The outdoor learning area includes open spaces for fre e play, a large

sand box for digging, equipment for riding and climbing, and plenty of shade. Mrs. Ash land supplements

this area daily with materials to support such areas as gross motor skills, science exploration, social ECE 430 Week One Case Study

Focus: Classroom Environment

emotional development , and creat ive arts. The children typically play outside for 30 minutes each

morning and afternoon. During outside play times, the children are able to develop their social skills,

participate in physical activities, and simply be kids.

During center time , the children in Mrs. Ashland ’s class are free to choose from a variety of activities.

The centers are designed to encourage children to be creative with the projects they choose and to engage

in meaningful conversations with their peers. While the ce nters are flexible, they frequently include block

building, sociodramatic play, art, music, science, math, manipulatives, computers , and literacy. The

materials provided at each of the centers are individualized and challenge child ren's intellect in a

deve lopmentally appropriate way . Mrs. Ash land often uses this time to talk to the children about their

activity of choice and documents what she sees in their portfolios. The materials in each center are clearly

labeled using pictures so that all students feel successful. All of the materials in the centers are stored on

shelves that contain pictures showing where each item belongs .

Finally, you can feel the sense of community in the classroom. The children have opportunities to learn

the language of school s uch as following directions, participat ing in a class discussion, problem solving ,

and listening to the teacher. These important daily routines are rei nforced throughout the day , which

allow s all children the opportunity to be successful.