https://padlet.com/anitabauer2/l7xpz01rjmaifzji Please, use the jam board for this week's CORP discussion en-us 2022-02-15 20:56:20 UTC 2022-03-02 00:21:14 UTC hello@padlet.com abigailsupalla https://padlet.com/anitabauer2/l7xpz01rjmaifzji/wish/2061891298 I learned a lot of new classroom indicators that are helpful for maintaining a high-quality environment. The children must be able to work and play with other children during the day. An easy way to incorporate this is having times in the schedule designated for free choice. It is also important for children to have access to a variety of activities. This can be through small or large group activities or having special areas during free choice that relate to the topic being taught in the classroom. Children should be able to learn in both large and small groups during the day. My program uses large group to talk about the days of the week, counting the days in the month, and singing songs. We also use this time to welcome children back to school. Small-group activities give teachers time to teach more in-depth topics and to individualize support for children that may have a harder time understanding. By decorating the classroom environment with children's work and embedding child-led experiences, it lets children know that the work they are doing is important and valued and it allows them to reflect on what they've learned. The teachers can then assess and parents will see how smart their children are and what they are learning. Outdoor play and extended project also play an important role in the classroom. Outdoor play helps children develop their gross motor skills and extended projects helps children learn more about a topic. The teacher should also read books to the children individually or in small-groups. This can improve comprehension of topics and help children expand their vocabulary and language skills. It is important for teachers to recognize through assessment that children may need adaptions or modifications in the classroom to help them succeed. Not all children learn at the same pace and may need more scaffolding for them to understand. The last indicator is families need to feel safe and secure. This can happen through daily interactions, newsletters, and parental involvement opportunities. The parents learn about their child's teacher and then feel more comfortable to open up about concerns or questions.]]> 2022-02-23 04:28:06 UTC https://padlet.com/anitabauer2/l7xpz01rjmaifzji/wish/2061891298 katrienawalling https://padlet.com/anitabauer2/l7xpz01rjmaifzji/wish/2063064779 A high - quality environment has many aspects that need to be considered. One thing to keep in mind is the schedule. The schedule needs to be structured in a way that children have a balance of free play, structured learning (both in large and small groups), large body or outside time and minimal time waiting quietly. The schedule needs to be structured in such a way that the children are able to move fairly freely and independently through the routine that they are familiar with. Another element of a high - quality program is that the environment. The environment is often described as the 3rd teacher in a classroom. The environment can help create a calm environment or can lead to challenging behavior. For example a classroom with a lot of open space can lead to running and other gross motor activities that are not safe for indoors. Or a classroom filled with a lot of bright colors and busy environment might lead to overstimulation in children. Calming and neutral colors can help children feel calm and in control. The environment should also be set up in a way to promote independence in children. All materials should be on their level where they can reach them without asking for help. All furniture should be child sized and safe for them to be on. 
And finally another element of a high- quality environment is the inclusion of parents in the room and curriculum. How things are communicated to parents is a huge element in making families feel welcome and a part of the community. Things like newsletters, bulletin boards, posted lesson plans and messages for parents are all great things to have in the room for parents to see on the daily. There should also be other ways that teachers are including parents. Allowing them to volunteer or bring in supplies for events or sharing their knowledge about specific topics. Teachers should also be communicating with parents through other means like email. This keeps a more private form of communication open and available for more sensitive or private topics that need to be discussed. 
These are just a few of the things that make a high- quality program. There are so many elements to building a great classroom!]]> 2022-02-23 17:38:17 UTC https://padlet.com/anitabauer2/l7xpz01rjmaifzji/wish/2063064779 christinaweidkamp https://padlet.com/anitabauer2/l7xpz01rjmaifzji/wish/2067806129 A high-quality classroom should be designed with visual reminders and a variety of easily viewed boundaries. Materials should be organized and accessible for all children. A way to design a high-quality classroom is to have zones where each teacher has a section of the classroom that they focus on. This helps them keep children engaged and increases staff efficiency. Another way is to have a schedule where each teacher has different duties or responsibilities. In quality classrooms, children should be playing and working with other children most of the time they’re at school. Teachers should work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. They should have an opportunity to play outside every day. The teachers should be reading books to children individually or in small groups throughout the day as well as providing projects and time for play and exploration. Not only should the classroom be deigned to support their learning it should make children and their families feel safe and welcomed.  

]]> 2022-02-26 23:32:22 UTC https://padlet.com/anitabauer2/l7xpz01rjmaifzji/wish/2067806129 abigailsupalla https://padlet.com/anitabauer2/l7xpz01rjmaifzji/wish/2068932947 2022-02-28 06:16:09 UTC https://padlet.com/anitabauer2/l7xpz01rjmaifzji/wish/2068932947