Supporting Learning Environments for Young Learners
Teacher Websites Research
Classroom management is dependent upon the teachers classroom strategies, arrangement, structure, activities, and organization. Here are my four favorite practicing teacher websites and virtues of why they are great examples of supportive learning environments for young children.
1. http://www.theorganizedclassroomblog.com : This website focuses on less stress and more effectiveness in the classroom. One post in particular focuses on utilizing classroom design to enhance the learning process. The teacher shares that children embrace open learning environments verses the traditional classroom setting of straight desks facing a blackboard which do not encourage engaged learning. Simple things like rearranging seating to create holistic learning labs, increases motivation and encourages discussion. Teachers need to realize that the classroom layout has a profound effect on how children learn, concentrate, and their behavior. This versatility encourages student interaction and hands on learning while keep children curious and engaged in the learning process.
In Early Education, the traditional methods of lining desks up in rows is especially ineffective with young children. Another way to keep young children engaged is to shake up the environment design. Hexagonal flower shaped desks can be used to stand alone or form a hexagonal flower shaped cluster of desks, for collaborative group work. The quad design, with 4 desks arranged in a quad is another idea for an early childhood classroom. The horseshoe or "U" is also an effective design that supports students centered learning in the classroom.
2. The second teacher website that I found beneficial for encouraging engaged learning for young children is created by a first grade teacher from Canada. Her blog is found at http://mscassidysclass.edublogs.org. Her classroom is very interactive and children are actively engaged in hands on learning in a more relaxed and open learning environment. This learning environment is exciting and relevant for today's children, and encourages diversity and creativity. Children are encouraged to problem solve, and make other creative activities about what they are learning. The teacher also has fun interactive classroom activities that focus on "inviting the world into their classroom."She Skypes with other classrooms around the world and each classroom shares about their country, lifestyle, and learning practices. This is a great way to introduce multicultural education and teach children about other countries and cultures. The children in her classroom look forward to Skyping with their various classroom friends, while learning about the world and global societies around them.
3. The third teacher blog that encourages engaged learning for young children is called Second Grade Shenanigans, found at http://shenanigansinsecond.blogspot.com. The reason why I consider this blog a great resource is because of the versatility of teaching methods that the teacher uses. Learning is very interactive and is done through art, songs, creative expressions and student taught. In one example, music is used to teach children some of the more "tricky" concepts in Math, or Grammar. Some hands on materials are also made by each student to teach a concept that might be more difficult, such as math:
Her classroom arrangement is also organized and challenging. This develops responsibility and confidence in young students:
This blog also shares many organization tools that teachers can use for paperwork organization and individual student information, which is an important part of an organized classroom. Teacher organization also helps with the flow of the classroom and helps prevent confusion for both teacher
and student:
1. http://www.theorganizedclassroomblog.com : This website focuses on less stress and more effectiveness in the classroom. One post in particular focuses on utilizing classroom design to enhance the learning process. The teacher shares that children embrace open learning environments verses the traditional classroom setting of straight desks facing a blackboard which do not encourage engaged learning. Simple things like rearranging seating to create holistic learning labs, increases motivation and encourages discussion. Teachers need to realize that the classroom layout has a profound effect on how children learn, concentrate, and their behavior. This versatility encourages student interaction and hands on learning while keep children curious and engaged in the learning process.
In Early Education, the traditional methods of lining desks up in rows is especially ineffective with young children. Another way to keep young children engaged is to shake up the environment design. Hexagonal flower shaped desks can be used to stand alone or form a hexagonal flower shaped cluster of desks, for collaborative group work. The quad design, with 4 desks arranged in a quad is another idea for an early childhood classroom. The horseshoe or "U" is also an effective design that supports students centered learning in the classroom.
2. The second teacher website that I found beneficial for encouraging engaged learning for young children is created by a first grade teacher from Canada. Her blog is found at http://mscassidysclass.edublogs.org. Her classroom is very interactive and children are actively engaged in hands on learning in a more relaxed and open learning environment. This learning environment is exciting and relevant for today's children, and encourages diversity and creativity. Children are encouraged to problem solve, and make other creative activities about what they are learning. The teacher also has fun interactive classroom activities that focus on "inviting the world into their classroom."She Skypes with other classrooms around the world and each classroom shares about their country, lifestyle, and learning practices. This is a great way to introduce multicultural education and teach children about other countries and cultures. The children in her classroom look forward to Skyping with their various classroom friends, while learning about the world and global societies around them.
3. The third teacher blog that encourages engaged learning for young children is called Second Grade Shenanigans, found at http://shenanigansinsecond.blogspot.com. The reason why I consider this blog a great resource is because of the versatility of teaching methods that the teacher uses. Learning is very interactive and is done through art, songs, creative expressions and student taught. In one example, music is used to teach children some of the more "tricky" concepts in Math, or Grammar. Some hands on materials are also made by each student to teach a concept that might be more difficult, such as math:
Her classroom arrangement is also organized and challenging. This develops responsibility and confidence in young students:This blog also shares many organization tools that teachers can use for paperwork organization and individual student information, which is an important part of an organized classroom. Teacher organization also helps with the flow of the classroom and helps prevent confusion for both teacher
and student:
