Introduction
Learning is a complex exercise which requires a conducive atmosphere and surrounding. In fact, research studies suggest that conducive a conducive learning environment is importance in preparing a learner for the learning process (Hue and Li, 2008). This paper shows how an environment promotes positive interactions and behaviors among learners. For purposes of effectively covering the objective of the study, the paper will present the findings of an observation made from a visit on a childcare facility that hosts three different classrooms with students of different ages. Finally, the paper will reflect on the experience of the school visit observation and show the relevance of promoting conducive learning environment for learners.
During the visit of the childcare facility, it was evident that the school was aware of the importance of creating a good learning surrounding for its students. This is because; the institution was situated in an area where there are tall trees and far from people residents or commercial facilities. Besides that, the school had vast compound with the main gate of the school far from the buildings of the classrooms. This ensured that the learners did not get any obstruction from other people.
As stated earlier, this childcare facility hosts three different classes for different ages of students. For purposes of effectively covering the arrangement of equipment and other physical features in the classroom, this part of the paper will describe each classroom and its learners.
The first classroom is for infant learners. This classroom hosts kids with ages between 1 to 9months. They represent the youngest learners in the school. According to the management of the childcare facility, this group of learners are mostly brought at the institution because their parents are working and do not want to their leave the kids with nannies. Therefore, the facility offers an appropriate alternative for the parents to leave their kids till they are through with their work.
Now turning to the toddler’s classroom, this represents the classroom with learners with ages ranging from nine months to three years. The layout of the toddler’s classroom is not much different from the infants’ classroom though there are minor changes in the arrangement of materials in the room. First, the classroom is more spacious than the infant’s classroom this is because the toddlers are more active and they like playing more than the infants. Each toddler’s classroom accommodates a maximum of 12 children. The management of the childcare facility considers the toddler’s classroom as the ideal stage to introduce learning for the kids. Therefore, there is presence of some tables, chairs and books in the room. Since toddlers are physically active, the room is made of soft material to allow the kids to jump, crawl and run. The room is also filled with creative art material like sand, books and interesting materials to make the toddlers active. The classroom is also equipped with special needs equipment for special needs kids. The management of the institution argues that, introduction of complex learning materials like desks and books in the toddlers room prepares them to adapt to the preschool environment. Since the toddlers are active, the toddlers do not share a desk or a seat. Any material used in the classroom but can cause harm to the kids if they access it, is kept at a raised place. When the toddlers’ teachers want to make the kids sleep, they switch on the radio to let a soft smoothing music play.
The preschool classroom represents the class with children between the ages of three to four years. Although the kids in this class look young, most of them have started realizing themselves and they are aware of what is happening in their surroundings. They have been introduced into the learning environment and are thus aware of the relevance of some materials in the classroom (MacNaughton, 2003). Arrangement of materials in this room is more complex because there are many desks but they are spaced to allow for easy movement of the children. Some of the materials found in this room include; sensory table, puzzle games, books and desks which constitute the classroom library. Computers, musical instruments and cooking materials are also found in this room to allow the kids engage in extra-curricular activities. The class also has special needs section for the special needs kids. The walls are also decorated with charts and other learning material. This enables the learners to not only rely on their books for knowledge but also, use the surroundings for learning. The pre-school kids’ classrooms hold a maximum of 18 children and each student is allocated a desk and a chair.
The experience I had during the visit at the facility was beneficial in many ways. First, it provided an opportunity of understanding how to organize classrooms by considering age and needs of special students. Secondly, the location of the childcare facility helped me appreciate the importance of location learning institutions in serene environment that are not affected by noise pollution. Besides that, the combination of learning materials such as books with games with other recreational activities shows the importance of incorporating fun into the learning process. In fact research encourages early childhood institutions to blend the learning process with recreational activities because this makes the learning process more enjoyable to the learners. The presence of a special needs section for the special students is a clear indication that the education facility values the rights and needs of physically challenged children. Generally, the visit to the childcare facility provided me with an insight of developing an effective learning environment for learners who are yet to recognize the relevance of education (Early Childhood Forum, 2003).
References
Early Childhood Forum (2003). Quality in diversity in early learning: A framework for early childhood practitioners. London: National Children''s Bureau.
Hue, M., & Li, W. (2008). Classroom Management: Creating a positive learning environment. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
MacNaughton, G. (2003). Shaping early childhood: Learners, curriculum and contexts. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Petersen, S. H., & Wittmer, D. S. (2009). Endless opportunities for infant and toddler curriculum: A relationship-based approach. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Merrill/Pearson.
