Write By Example Of This Classroom Proposal Essay

Many teachers have the same policy throughout their classrooms: stay seated, stay quiet, and copy your notes from the board. This may be a great tactic to use for students who are in middle and high school, but not for students who are in early education such as daycares. It would be great if all students could follow that model, but extremely drab and not very informative. This is why teachers, specifically teachers in early education, need to reevaluate how they conduct their lessons to better suit the learning capabilities of their students. Younger children learn differently than older children, therefore a more engaging way of learning should be introduced in daycare classrooms. Not only that, but the teacher should have adequate knowledge of the subject they are teaching in order to provide the best education possible for the students. This classroom proposal will outline some problems and solutions that come with teaching daycare students and why these changes will be effective.
Daycare students are constantly full of energy no matter what time of day it is. Yes, they do have recess and other activities to help elevate their constant high energy but that is not always enough. A better way to channel this energy is to have them learn while moving around. Any teacher knows that having a younger student sitting in their desk or chair for an extended period will cause them to fidget, lose focus on the subject, or find a way to entertain themselves. Therefore it would be better to have occasional times where they could be actively learning through some form of movement. A few examples would be acting out a story, spelling letters with their body, or learning a process through dance or song. If the lesson they are learning has some form of song, dance, or anything involving their hands then they are more than likely to retain the information. Another addictive is how many teachers greet the students on the next day. Many start off with, “Good morning, yesterday we talked about math and today we will be moving onto readings”. It is true that this opening reminds the students of the activity they did yesterday but a better opening would be to start off with an anecdote that related to yesterday’s topic or ask them about an event that would relate to that day’s topics. As with many classrooms, there will no doubt be a few students who did not fully grasp the lesson of yesterday and were also embarrassed to ask any questions. To combat this, a question box could be used to help these students become confident in voicing their concerns. It can be anonymous therefore they do not have to worry about their classmates knowing their issue. The questions can be left in the box at the end of a day’s lesson and addressed tomorrow at the start of the classroom. This tactic will be especially useful when it comes to lesson plays that scaffold onto each other. Setting aside a specific time for questions and concerns are a good way to see if any students need extra help and also lets them know that they are not taking time away from the lesson by asking questions. These students are at an extremely important age to build their confidence and having them be able to ask questions in a safe and friendly environment that boost that confidence to where they won’t feel embarrassed anymore.
Another issue that many daycares seem to have is that the classroom is not large enough for engaged learning. For example, there is usually one large space in the classroom that is designated for classroom reading activities. One days when recess isn’t optional due to the weather or some other incident, there should be areas within the classroom that can offer different types of engagement for the students. These areas can be designated spots that deal with specific subjects that are being covered in the lesson plan. A few examples of these areas would be a library corner, a corner for games and puzzles, blocks and sciences, or a writing and art table. Alternatively, if the classroom does not have enough space or to many children this option could also replace those days were recess is not available. These choices will give students time to practice and get better at their learning. They can learn in a fun environment where they will not feel pressured that they are being graded on what they are doing. The teacher should also be available during this time to ask any potential questions the students have with whatever project they choose to do.
An important issue that must be addressed is that even though these are daycare children, the teacher should be knowledgeable in the subject they are teaching. Children at that age absorb more information therefore it is crucial that the information they are given is correct. Children ask a lot of “why” questions and can continue on until they are satisfied with the answer. For example, the teacher can be on a subject about math or science and a student raises their hand to know why a certain event happens. The teacher should be able to give a concise and correct answer to the question. It is highly important that the teacher does not simply brush off the question with a “because it just happens” answer. This is counterproductive to their education and shows that the person they trust their education to does not the answer. In an instance where the teacher does not readily know the answer, it should be acceptable for the teacher to offer to look up the information for the classroom to know. It shows the students that it is alright if a person does not know the answer at the exact time and to look up something they do not understand. The answers should always be in a simplified format that a five-year-old would understand.
The last proposal would be for teachers to create a conductive learning environment for the students through monitoring and guiding them in various skills activities. There should be lesson plans where the teacher describes the topic and the work would involve the students working alone on it. This allows for the students work at their own pace and to figure out any problems on their own. The teacher will be there only to offer advice and information for any student who is unsure about what they are doing. An example of this would be an arts and craft project where the students would have to recreate a model the teacher has presented. It can consist of them using shapes and colors to figure out how to make their project resemble the one their copying. This teaching tactic allows the students to work on their fine motor skills as well as their critical thinking. Teachers should always lead the lessons and explain things through repetition skills, but it is equally important to have them work on their own.