Thursday, September 9, 2010

THE ENVIRONMENT AS A THIRD TEACHER

When designing your future classroom environment as a 'third teacher', what would you consider to be the most important factors to consider and why?

15 comments:

  1. When creating my future classroom to be the environment as the third teacher, one of the most important aspects to remember is to keep materials in easily accessible areas. Creating an environment as the third teacher has no real advantage, if the materials are placed out of the children’s reach.
    Equally important is to create an area where the children can gather and socialize in the classroom. This will make the room feel like more of a fun place to be than an institution. It will help foster communication skills and sentence forming. This area can be used at the beginning of the day, the afternoon and before the children go home for the evening.
    As real teachers change, environments as teachers must also have the flexibility, creativity and opportunity to change. Children engage in activities that are appealing to them, and part of that appeal is the changing environments. If the environment is stale, placid and the same, then children will not get anything out of it. However, if the environment is changed around this will keep the children actively involved. This change doesn’t have to be dramatic, it could be as simple as rearranging furniture, or the placement of certain areas. Each child is not the same, teachers may find from year to year that certain areas of the classroom are more popular than other areas. It is our job to make sure that areas that are not as popular are investigated for reasons why they aren’t and changed so maximize the children’s experience. The assigned reading “Space and the Environment” really emphasizes this aspect.

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  2. environment as a third teacher should be pleasing to the eye with colors and a variety of different materials that will keep the attenetion of the children as well as expanding their creativity. with the access of an assortment of found materials as well art supplies the children will be able to explore their creativity and with plenty of supplies for them to work with their exploring creativity has no end.all the supplies should be at their level for them to get to easily. their should be a way for the children to get outside so they can explore nature and see the shapes and colors that can be adapted into projects. i think the inside classroom is just as important as the outdoors.

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  3. I agree with Amy, materials at a east access that are age appropriate are the best way to indulge the children. With smartboards and the technology we have today, students are not able to get as involved with learning as much as we used to. I remember when I was learning in first grade about money, my teacher had a over head in which she had coins that were able to go on the screen to be transparent for us to see. Now, children are able to learn with money due to the plastic they can use but I feel by seeing it on the screen and having it to look at made it more easier for me to learn. I feel today, children are very fast to get off subject and by having fake money in front of you the kids may play with them instead of learning. I want the kids in my class to feel at home in my environment. Sometimes in a classroom, children feel they are not allowed to touch certain things because teachers may have the books in a certain order or may be prioritized by Authors on the shelf. I am all about having the clutter, as long as at the end of the day we are all able to come together as a class and clean up. At home, we all know the childrens toys and what not are probably all over the house-so why not have them be like that at school? I love having things certain ways and I understand children have wants and needs too. Other than recess, children need to be able to be free in my classroom. There will be all sorts of children in my classroom and for everyone to get along and be free in my class, will work just great for me. At some point, it is kind of a Regio way that I am speaking of but, with a lesson plan and not letting the children stay on one thing for the whole day. I hope to provide my students with the learning that I felt I learned best and to be very open with accepting every students differences and being able to cope with random things is what I believe is a great asset in a teacher.

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  4. When designing my future classroom as the “third teacher” I would have to consider space and materials to be the most important aspects. As Loris Malaguzzi says “We value space because of its power to organize and promote pleasant relationships between different ages, to create beauty, to provide chances, and promote choices in activities. Space has the potential for sparking all kinds of social, effective and cognitive learning. All of this contributes to a sense of well-being and security in children.”
    Materials are also very important in the sense of the environment as the “third teacher”. Using combinations of the five senses is arguably the most efficient way for young children to learn. It is the proper materials that encourage the use of these senses and allows independent and group learning to take place.

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  5. When designing a classroom, the most important thing I consider is if all material is age appropriate for the students. But by age appropriate, I don't mean that they should be comfortable with everything. There should be some things that students haven't seen or used before, which may be a bit “over their heads”, but this is how students learn. Provide them with interesting challenges and see how they respond. It may not be the “correct” way the child is supposed to respond, but as long as the matereial engages the child and there is something to be learned from the accommodation of new materials.

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  6. When designing my classroom as a 'third teacher' I will always remember to set up my environment that will be interesting and pleasing to the children in my classroom. The environment of the classroom should help each child in my room to become interested in learning. When designing my environment I will make sure all my materials in the classroom are age appropriate and at the level where the child can access the materials. The environment will also be filled with lots of colors that will be pleasing to the children. Children shoudl be able to feel safe and comfortable in the classroom as if they were at home. With having environment that is pleasing and interesting to the children, I feel they will enjoy learning more. Each child in my classroom is successful and will become successful through learning.

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  7. When designing my classroom environment, I think there is a lot that needs to be considered. Using the environment as the third teacher enables my students to think more critically and I am able to facilitate rather than preach. I want the children to be able to ask questions and experiment to find the answers. I am a firm believer in the "there is no wrong answer", especially in art. When the classroom is inviting, it allows the students to want to participate. My goal is for them to come into my classroom and find something. I want them to willing participate and enjoy themselves. Perhaps this is wishful thinking, but I truly hope by having my environment as the third educator, I will be setting my students up for greater things and more creativity.

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  8. when i create my classsroom enviornment. A key factor will be the visual appeal of the space. It is crucial that the classroom is a three-dementional invitation to play and learn and explore. There will not be designated places for play with a "teacer's aria" separate. The children need to feel comfortable in the setting and feel part of it. I picture a room that is visually stimulating with brightly colored child-sized seats and all sorts of lights from christmas lights to lava lamps and light tables. Light and dark is an intriguing thing for small children. Also being able to explore and manipulate their enviornment. there are no rules. the block room can turn into the dress up room and that is ok. children tell us what they are interested in by what they gravitate towards. it is my job as a teacher to notice those connections and turn them into learning experiences
    patrice davis

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  9. My classroom environment will be pleasing to the eye because it has to be welcoming to the children. It has to inspire them to learn once they step foot into my classroom. I will make it appear very home-like (comfortable). I would make it a priority to have all art materials out and available to children in some organized/appealing manner at all times. I also make a habit of displaying their artwork on the walls of my classroom to show that i find their work very important (and that museum work isn't the only inspirational/admired work).

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  10. When I envision my future class room, I foresee lots of functionality. I plan on teaching at the high school level. This means that i want my space to be a constructive positive work environment. Some where where students can easily think, plan, draft, and create without the obstruction of diversions. This doesn't however mean that I do not wish to instill the methods of Reggio even though they tend to apply to a younger age group. I still want my students to engage their own materials, and uses for such, i just don't plan on plastering my walls with "feel good" motivational posters. I do feel a need for a very naturally lit room with big windows. Hopefully track lighting, easels, and pedestals wont be an issue. I also want some in room computers along with plenty of cork boarded walls to display the student work when not on display for the school.

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  11. My classroom environment mission statement:
    The environment should foster the child's ability to learn in a creative manner.Everything done in the classroom should have a reason to back it.

    1. all the materials needed to guide the children through a learning experience should be at the child's level of reach. Reason (rather obvious), because they need to be accessible to the children.
    2. other materials obtained by the teachers (NOT pertainent to the lessons suggested by the environment)should be put in a separate storage area until they are ready to become part of the learning environment for that particular lesson suggested by the changed environment.
    3. Everything in the room should be in an orderly manner to provoke questions and discovery.
    4. Each area of the room should be divided into themed sections (dress up, library, art, construction, etc.) to promote small group discovery.
    5. The ambiance of the room should reflect that of a HOME (houseplants, curtains, tablecloths, floorlamps, rugs).
    WHY? To signify a sense of familiar comfort, and with some materials, such as glassware and stepladders, to signify a sense of trust. (the 2nd part may not always be possible in our culture...unfortunately).
    6. When children are not in the classroom, it should still be obvious that the room is usually full of creative energy and eager learners.
    HOW? Through Documentation! display children's art, photos of classroom activities, enlarge "profound" comments the children have made about something they are studying, etc.


    FOR A SPECIFIC THEME:

    For example, a child brings in an apple for the teacher and another student asks where it came from- HERE'S THE TEACHABLE MOMENT!Arrange your environment to reflect this teachable opportunity.
    1. bring in apples for a snack.
    2. tell a story about apples (Jonny Appleseed?)
    3. start a garden in the school's piazza (or play area)
    4. take a field trip to an apple orchard/cider factory or even an fruit market to see the different types of apples and what can be done with them- DOCUMENT this experience with photographs displayed in your classroom
    5. Create sequence cards that show step by step (from planting a seed to buying at the supermarket) and put them near the apple books.

    6. Display comments made by the children as posters around the room (or in designated area) about apples
    Anything can be made into a theme, some better than others. But there is a way to use a theme to expand throughout every area of the curriculum and allow it to encompass your environment with inspiration for further learning opportunities!

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  12. When creating a classroom environment as a "third teacher" perhaps the most important aspect to consider is that the space should be one where the student can experience a level of comfort and relaxtion that allows him or her express himself as much as he or she would like. The room should be inviting and stimulating.

    The room should include organic materials and simple tools. By including these elements in the room you offer a spece that encourages the child think creatively. The room should be designed in such a way as to allow the adults and children to interact on the same level. This will add to the child's comfort level and in turn encourage exploration, discovery, and creativity.

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  13. While designing a classroom, and considering it to be the third teacher; many things will need to be considered. The room must have detail to it that will be eye catching to the children.There can be a variety of areas for the children to engage in. This will provide conversation for the children, which will lead to a number of ideas of what to teach. One area in the class can lead to discussion for weeks. One of the most important things to consider when designing the environment is will the children be engage in the activity. While many areas can be displayed and children will be expected to participate, if they are not interesting the children are likely to move on.Their attention is likely to move on to something else. So, enticing material must be considered while preparing the environment.
    There also needs to be an ample amount of space, this will allow the children the room they need.While the the U.S schools provide a very structured area, with desk and chairs; also with very little move around space, Reggio provides the opposite. This leads by example that if there are various areas to move in and be appealing to the eye, children are more likely to be involved in something education. In the structured environment, such as the U.S, children's attention is likely to be roaming. They're most likely thinking of different codes to use in the video game, how they played with their friends, or what they'll be doing when they get out of school. So, the environment should have many opportunities for the children to explore and engage.

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  14. In designing my classroom environment as a "third teacher," I believe the way it will teach the students is through materials. In exploring new objects and textures, my students' minds and imaginations will be activated and engaged. In experiencing new materials, students will learn ask questions and be curious, and in turn, learn something new, as well as problem solve. I want these materials to be organized in a way that, in the groupings alone, will teach the children about the materials. I want them to be easily accessible to my students and be interesting enough to spark their creativity and curiosity.

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