Early Childhood Competencies1. Promoting Child Development and Learning

1.3 Uses a strong base of child development knowledge to create developmentally appropriate learning opportunities and environments for each and every child. Uses a strong base of child development knowledge to create developmentally appropriate learning opportunities and environments for each and every child.

Evidence 1:

Infant Toddler Curriculum, Community College of Vermont, 1995, CCV Transcript

Description:

This course examines the developmental stages of infants and toddlers. Students explore health and safety concerns, plans for stimulating learning experiences, and the design of indoor and outdoor learning environments specific to infants and toddlers. Students plan developmentally appropriate infant/toddler curricula and are able to explain the connection between the physical environment and quality programs for infants and toddlers.

Analysis/Reflection:

I received credit for this course in the Spring of 1995. In addition to exploring curriculum, we learned about the developmental stages of infants and toddlers. Through my extensive experiences as a home provider and as a lead infant/toddler teacher at Otter Creek Child Care Center, I understand that our youngest learners need environments that support their development. I always strive to offer a variety of gross motor, fine motor, early literacy and language components, and early math and science in my program for all the ages. Over the years, as I worked more in the younger age groups, I learned how to plan, implement and evaluate enriched curriculum experiences for infants and toddlers, as well as alter materials and activities to accommodate children with developmental needs and disabilities. One example of accommodating an activity for toddles is to provide an alternative method. In this activity below I had the shapes outlined for the older children, and the shapes colored in with the younger children for easier comprehension.

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Evidence 2:

Methods and Materials in Early Childhood Education, ECE 215, Community College of Vermont, 1989, CCV Transcript

Description:

This course is designed to teach the methods and materials needed for designing quality care and educational programs for young children. Developmentally appropriately activities and teaching practices are discussed in relation to each of the developmental and curricula areas. This course covered ages birth through school age children.

Analysis/Reflection:

Throughout this course I gained new knowledge for providing a safe and nurturing educational learning environment for young children. I learned how to effectively set up learning centers in the classroom and to provide materials for self-directed play and learning. The course also covered ways to promote social and physical skills, family involvement, program management, professionalism, and positive guidance. One of the most rewarding features of this course was that every class we were able to tour a different center or home environment. I was intrigued how each and every space we toured had a different learning environment. I gained new insights on how to arrange environments and provide developmentally age appropriate materials.

I am always redefining and learning from the children what they need in their environment. As I observe the children on a daily basis, I take notes on interests, their conflicts, and/or ideas. One recent modification I made to my learning environment, was the purchase of a train table. Although I had multiple trains and tracks for the children to explore, having the track set up on the floor proved to be disastrous. While the children tried to play, they were always in each other's way, and having to sit on top of the track in order to play. In lifting the train track off the floor, the congestion of the children getting on top of each other was relieved, thus, making the activity pleasant and enjoyable for the children and myself.

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Evidence 3:

Pictures of my indoor learning environment in my family child care program, Mountain Road Preschool, Pictures

Description:

Pictures of my indoor learning environment. These pictures are of the program that I run from my registered family home. It includes the indoor learning centers and overall design of my learning environment.

Analysis/Reflection:

My philosophy in my early education program is aligned with the "Reggio approach" as viewing the learning environment as the third teacher. In my learning environment I take special pride and care in selecting materials and furnishings that promote and extend the learning of the children enrolled. The philosophy of my program is to provide a safe, nurturing, healthy environment. By providing a play-based, hands-on learning environment, children can explore freely and expand their knowledge at their own pace and level. Through my daily observations I am able to further engage the children better through documentation, and if needed provide additional new materials to further their exploration.

In each area of my learning environment I offer materials that would be age appropriate for the children in my program. Examples of materials and/or furnishings for the younger children would be offering board books, adding puzzles with fewer pieces and large knobs for easily handling, or having materials such as sensory bottles. For older children I present materials such as sorting bugs for understanding classification and color recognition, puzzles with more pieces, and more complex manipulatives. I always have a science area set up and the posters I display are age appropriate for preschoolers, and also make my own simple picture posters for the infants and toddlers, which are more age appropriate for that age level.

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