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This Program is part of the public school system and is offered either half day 8:30 to 1 1:00 or full day 8:30 to 2:30. There are currently two classroom dedicated for the . The has its own wing to help keep the little ones apart from the older children, although the school is only PC-2 grade. There is an M-F full day class with 8 children that attend every day. There is an AM and PM M-W-F and T-HTH YE days with around 1 0 to 12 children, making a total class size of about 20 children per day.
The hillier are aged between 3 and 5 years. The is staffed in accordance to EXEC regulations. 2. A) See drawing… B) Realistic changes…. The teachers use a Theme Based method “tools of the mind” adapted from Level Boycotts. Its theme based, that everything in the room has to do with only that theme. The theme while I was there was ‘VET”, everything that doesn’t have to do with pets, animals or the vet is turned around or covered up. This includes all books, coloring pages, toys, and arts & crafts. I believe it made the room look messier than it really was.
They had to turn their sand able into the dog groomers table and the puppet theater into the vet clinic. Although I really liked the idea behind the theme I didn’t like that the class room seemed to be turned almost upside down to have to do it. Teachers are given two rooms, they use one room mainly for snack and circle time (we will call this room 2) the other room for play (we will call this room 1) most of their manipulative and larger cardboard blocks were in room 2. I would defiantly have both of these in my main play area.
I don’t know if room 2 seemed more playful because they hadn’t hidden everything as they did in mom 1, this every well could be the case. Summary 3. The wing is on the left hand side of the school, before you walk into the class there are lockers for each child to put his or her belongings. As you walk into the classroom there is a little hall, here is a place for plastic bins for each child to store a change of clothes. On the wall is the Morning Mystery Question, each child can either read or looks at the pictures and predicts the answer, then put their name tag under either yes or no in the pocket chart.
Not only does this involve each child but it gives an attendance for the teacher. This is where the room opens up, to your right you will see a sink, small counter top, and a small refrigerator in front of that sits a small round table with 4 chairs. Today a math station was set up with folders of all kinds of animals printed on the inside; the children had to match each number to the correct animal number. To the left is the bath room, to the right of that a small half hexagon table with 2 chairs, this table was a coloring station with coloring pages of animals and markers.
Behind that table were two more half hexagon tables each with 2 chairs, one of the tables had little animals dressed n clothing for pretend play and the other table had two goring trays with rubber shaped animals. There was a short wall of bookshelves along the tables to separate this section from the next. The floor under this selection of the classroom was tile and the rest of the classroom was carpet. The carpeted area of the classroom was large; to left a multi colored carpet with Abs’s, ass’s and shapes of all kinds.
This space was open the bookshelf’s were covered with fabric, there was a “DOG PARK” sign on the wall and there was two farm houses set out on the carpet. To the right was a U shaped able, there was also a bookshelf this one was left open, there were animals placed on it for display believe this was the “ANIMAL SHELTER”. Behind the table were large floor to ceiling cabinets for teacher storage. Next to the cabinets was a door leading to the next class room on the right. Another shelf flanked the door this one housed paper supplies.
Next to that one was another open shelf; this one had all kinds of dog related items such as collars, food, leashes, food bowls. On the top of the shelf was a play register this was for “BED BARK BEYOND” the class room groomers. They had this section of he room setup like a groomers it was very cute. The sand table had been converted to where they pretended to wash and groom the dogs and cats, there were pictures of dogs all over the walls and there was even a place to paint the toe nails of the animals. There was even a waiting room for the owners of the pets.
Continuing to the righteous come upon the “VET CENTER” in here the children had fun playing with a X-ray machine, reception desk, and a doctors office where there was everything you would need from dress up to the tools. There was a scale, stethoscope, and bandages everything to help the animals get better. Reflection: Free Play Time is from 8:30 to 10:00. The children have the ability to move freely from one activity to the next without apprehension. The teachers were fully engaged with the children at all times remembering to go from one center to another, coloring, reading and pretending with the children.
Although many of the everyday “normal” toys you would expect to see were not available to the children because the “theme base curriculum” that is being executed in this classroom. The children were doing a lot of pretend play and were figuring things out on their own, children were learning though experience. . Activity Areas: “VET CENTER” – Is in the back left corner of the room “marked off’ with a book shelf and the puppet theater stand that has been converted into the window for the reception desk of the center.
On the desk there is a computer screen with pictures of different animals, a key board, telephone, and appointment book. Behind the desk the doctors office or exam room, there is a scale, medicine to make the sick animals feel better, doctor tools, and dress attire for the doctor. There are pictures hung to show how vets work on animals and what X-rays look like in real life because there is a pretend X-ray aching. There is a waiting room with books and puzzles for the “parents” of the sick pets to do while waiting for their animals to get better.
Hear children are learning comprehensive health, technology and engineering, science and social science, math and the arts. “BED, BARK, BEYOND” – To the right of the “VET CENTER” “marked off’ with a colorful geometric figured carpet, back of the paper shelf and the shelf with the register. The sand table located against the wall is converted to the spot to wash and groom the animals. There are pictures of dogs and cats on the walls, a place to weigh the animals, ant their toe nails and buy food. Here children are learning social science, math, technology and engineering, and comprehensive health. ANIMAL SHELTER & DOG PARK” – The open space of the play area, other than the U- shaped table this space was wide open. The “DOG PARK” is an open space on the multi colored carpet with Abs’s, ass’s and shapes. There were bookshelves covered with fabric on the left side to the right, a shelf with wooden blocks. The “ANIMAL SHELTER” located by the u-shaped table was an open bookshelf, with animals placed on for display. There were bottles ND food here to feed the animals and newspaper to lay in their “crates”. Here children are learning social science, and comprehensive health. CENTERS” (math, coloring, pretend play, sorting) ? “Marked off’ by walls and the bookshelves going into the carpeted area, it has tiled flooring and was much smaller than the rest of the room. Math a small round table with 4 chairs, on the table were file folders each one had its own game. Inside each folder was a small plastic baggie, the game was to match the numbers from the bag to the animals in the folder. Each chair had a different folder placed n front of it; children would move from chair to chair completing each folder.
Coloring a small half hexagon table with 2 chairs, there was a pile of animal themed coloring pages and markers. Pretend Play a small half hexagon table with 2 chairs, peg boards puzzle, a basket of little animals dressed in clothing and two small crates. Sorting a small half hexagon table with 2 chairs, there were two round goring trays with different rubber shaped colored animals in each tray. Reflection: The theme based curriculum is a great idea, although I do not feel that the activity areas provide ample opportunities for children of his age.
Children are not allowed to completely explore the classroom and all that it has to offer. They are limited to what they can explore. Children are getting fundamentals, but developmentally children explore, learn and grow in different stages. One child may be overwhelmed by the “VET CENTER” while a different child is bored with the theme and needs the opportunities to explore at their own rate of development 5. Curriculum: A) Language Arts: Paired reading, each handed a pre-printed card one with lips, one with ears. Children then picked out a book and read it to his or her partner.
B) Math: “Days of the week song”, each child counted the days of the week, 5 Week days or “school days” on one hand and 2 weekends or “non-school days” on the other 5 & 2. C) Science: Weather Graph, children are asked to look outside and determine the weather. Is it sunny, cloudy, rainy, or snowy? Talk about yesterdays prediction, and then predict the forecast for tomorrow. Discuss appropriate clothing scarf, hat, mittens, boots or a raincoat. D) Technology/Engineering: building blocks, sand and water wheels, toy cars, etc. Hose types of toys were not out in plain sight, in the main largo. E) Social Studies: “Clean up Song”, children hear the song sing along and learn community responsibility by cleaning up after free play. F) The Arts: Movement Activity, children sang “Jack be nimble” replacing “Jack with a child’s name from the class. As each child was called they were to “JUMP” over the candle stick, as “Jack” does in the song. Reflection: The curriculum is there, and is well-balanced, but does it allow for adaptations and modifications?
No, not to engage children and support each child as a whole. I do feel that the curriculum is well planned and developmentally appropriate but needs to include smaller group preplanned activities. 6. Staff interacting with the children During circle time a CD was played “Days of the week” song, the teachers sang along showing the children to hold 5 fingers up on one hand and 2 fingers up on the other to represent the 5 & 2. The teachers use great transitions with songs and other finger play actives.
At snack time children are called up first by the colors they are wearing, then by name. Teachers passed out napkins to each child and told them what was for snack “today we have either Animal crackers or Gold Fish”. After snack children are told to choose a partner for paired reading time on the carpet. During this time teachers are reading with the children, sitting on their laps and helping children sound out words. Reflection: Teachers are the best, playful with the children have relationships with the parents and are truly loving of their student children.
Teachers are present and aware of the surroundings, interacting with children in every aspect while keeping on task with the daily routine. 7. Teachers interactions support the physical environment A. When the “Clean up” song is played the children sing along with the song ND help each other out to clean up. B. The bins were available in reach to all students to reach with all materials needed for arts and craft projects, as well as markers crayons, paint, and so C. All of the different centers would be a good opportunity of the children to help them learn to make choices. D.
With the class being on the ‘Theme Base” curriculum in a way makes the children practice self-regulation skills, because they can only play with certain toys now. E. Again with the “Theme Base” curriculum this also allows the children to explore all that there is in the “animal” world. F. Around the room there hung different bulletin boards 3 officio were dedicated to children in the classroom one was Birthdays and it had all of the children’s birthdays on it with each child having their own little birthday cake. The other was a poster that had a poem about friends and hung all around the poster Was the children’s hands cut out.
The third was a poster that said friends come in all shapes and sizes and around that poster were drawings that the children had done of their families. 8. Five Visible Signs of Health & Safety: 1. “Call 911” by the phone 2. Each class room the school has a “Disaster Kit Bag” or “Emergency Bag” ACH bag includes: *list of emergency contingency plans for fire and evacuation *list of medications for all children *list of allergies for all children *list of medical history for all children *list of contact information for all children *emergency or life-saving medications for all children 3.
First Aid Kits in every room 4. Each rooms teacher license, staff schedule are posted 5. Each classroom has its own bathroom and its own sink with a water fountain Reflection: Signs hung around the room, “How do you feel today? ‘ ‘, “Fair ways to Play’, A bulletin board in the snack area had pictures of fresh rut “Watermelon is Wonderful”, “Kiwi is Key”, “and “Grapefruit is Glorious”. “Give a care push in your chair” by the tables. Post it’s around the room to represent light switches, outlets, cabinets, telephone, north, south, east, west. 9.
I saw just one very small chart that posted the schedule of the classroom it wasn’t very elaborate and it wasn’t out in the open where you could really see it either. It had free time-circle-snack-lunch rest. Time Event of the Day Why is this Event Important? 830 Free time Learning Time 10:00 Circle time Snack experience 1 0:20 healthy eating 10:30 Paired Reading This is the Children’s Active Circle time is a whole learning Healthy snacks promote Social reading learning along with gag inning knowledge 1 0:45 Movement activity Motor Skills 1 1 Dismissal ‘Lunch Keep the children on a schedule 10. Message in the Environment” *Yes, believe that this is a good place to be, it is inviting and safe and colorful and there was a lot for the children to do. *Yes, the children were made to feel like they belong they each had their own locker and their own space. * Yes, this is a place you can trust the teachers were very friendly and warm ND trusting and very playful. *Yes, You can choose what activists you wanted to do and move about the room freely from activity to activity. Yes, explore, explore, explore the teachers encouraged it. Assignment reflection/Conclusion 11. Would like to be a teacher in this classroom, the size of the class room is great and the children are wonderful. I like the layout of the room; might change some of the clutter and maybe rearrange how some of the things were set up. Like the placement of the bins and the supplies, maybe use room 2 as my main classroom and room 1 as my secondary classroom or utilize both classrooms more.
I do like and can appreciate the “The tools of the mind” Theme based curriculum, but I don’t like the Way it was used in this classroom. I do not believe that it allows for adaptations and modifications needed to ensure that all children are benefiting at the highest level of learning opportunities. The experiences, materials, and teaching strategies are there but need to achievable and challenging for each child within the classroom. Developing and extending children’s interests is very important during preschool, this when they are developing their own abilities.