Enviromental Floor Plan
According to the Behavioral Intervention Guide, there are a number of ways teachers can structure the classroom to promote positive behavior and learning. One of those things is posting the classroom rules and daily routine in a location where children see it often. It is because of this that I have our classroom community agreement and our daily routine posted on the walls surrounding our meeting area. Another thing teachers can do is create quiet areas. I set up the Cozy Corner, Library, Art Center, Writing Center, Sensory Table and Science Center nearby because they are the quieter areas. Since the Dramatic Play Center, Blocks Center and Music Center are the noisiest, they are located together towards the back of the classroom along with the Table Top Toys Center. I have the cubbies in different areas of the classroom because when they are all in one area, it cramps up that one section of the classroom. Separating the cubbies also facilitates the morning and end of day transitions when the children are putting their things away, or packing everything up.
Teachers can also make sure that all materials are accessible to the children. I have made sure that all the shelves and furniture are at an appropriate level where the children can get the materials on their own. In addition to being easily accessible to the children, all of the materials are labeled in order to promote print awareness and to help the children when cleaning up. Maria Montessori believed that in addition to having child-sized furniture and materials, teachers needed to make sure to keep materials organized so that the children could find them easily. Another reason I keep the materials organized and easily accessible is because I like to do things that enable my students to be independent.
Furthermore, Lev Vygotsky believed that play during the preschool years is very crucial for the child’s development as well, which is one of the reasons that I make sure the different centers and materials in the classroom promote play. Lastly, I also make sure that the materials are open-ended. For example, in the Tabletop Toys Center, though there are some LEGO trees and animals, I did not add too many different LEGO things so that the children could use the pieces to create their own items, such as a chair. The children can save these creations throughout the week to keep working on them. Throughout my three years teaching Pre-Kindergarten, I have observed how open-ended materials spark the creativity of the child. That is why I make sure to have open-ended materials in as many of my centers as possible. These are some of the reasons why I set up my classroom the way I did.
