Identify and explain the five principles that guide the design of high-quality environments for young children. Which of these principles do you think is most important for creating an effective classroom environment? Give examples to support your answer.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

High-quality learning environments should reflect the following principles: (1) be organized, challenging, and aesthetically pleasing, this can involve having clean and colorful play areas that are organized into easy-to-hard tasks and have materials that are desirable to the children; (2) be capable of creating a caring community of learners that affirms diversity. This includes ensuring that all children feel safe and valued. A good way to do this is to address children by name and always be happy to see them; (3) have clear goals that reflect a particular instructional emphasis. Perhaps teachers wish to use the activity-based intervention where children are allowed to use their natural environment to accomplish tasks and goals; (4) protect the health and safety of children. This requires that all state and federal safety guidelines are followed as well as thoroughly supervision of all children; and (5) allow all children equal access to age-appropriate materials and equipment. This might involve creating activity centers that require easy, easier, and easiest tasks along with hard, harder, and hardest tasks so that all children of all abilities can engage with the material. Student’s answers will vary on the second half of the question, yet students should find value in all principles listed above. Examples of what students might find important for effective learning environments include the affirmation of diversity in the classroom. When children feel valued and accepted (and part of the climate they are engaged in), they are more likely to be satisfied and motivated to learn. A second principle that students may find important is the safety and health of all children. Creating safe and healthy environments is critical to learning. Children who are safe and feel supported are more likely to focus on learning than those who feel unsafe or are in unhealthy environments. Finally, students might note that age-appropriate learning is central to developing skills. Learning occurs when children perform activities or tasks they can manage and that motivate them to continue to perform those behaviors or tasks. Children can become frustrated when they do not see immediate rewards or benefits from using materials that are not age or individually/developmentally appropriate.