Running Header: LEARNING ENVIRONMENT PLAN

Learning Environment Plan:

St. James Development Center 4 year old classroom

Emily Walker

Virginia Commonwealth University

Component 1: Description

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1St. James’s Children’s Center is a community-based preschool program serving families

in Richmond, Virginia. This program is more affordable than most in the area and provides a

sliding scale tuition for families with low household income. St. James’s is located at St. James

Episcopal Church in a historic neighborhood, nearby Virginia Commonwealth University

Monroe Park campus, the Downtown area, and several parks. The school serves children ages 2-

10 years old. There are four classrooms for the preschool program separated by age: 2s, 3s, 4s,

and pre-K. The program runs from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. throughout the year, with some

curriculum changes over the summer months. St. James’s follows the Creative Curriculum,

which is play and discovery-based education, and also utilizes strategies from the CSEFEL

(Center for Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning). During my visit to St. James’s I

learned that most of the preschool classes at St. James’s include a child with a disability and

incorporate teaching techniques that one may find in an Early Childhood Special Education

classroom including visual cues, sensory toys and play areas, and CARA’s Kit.

I observed the 4 year olds in their classroom on June 17th, 18th, and 19th, and met again

with the teachers on June 25th. I observed between 3:30p.m. and 6p.m. during the summer,

which included free play in the centers and outside on the playground. There were two teachers

in the classroom for most of the time, and family members would arrive to pick up their children

periodically throughout the observation. Through my informal conversation with the teachers I

learned about the summer schedule, the backgrounds of the students, and the students with

disabilities.

Component 2: Description and Analysis.

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2The 4 year olds’ classroom is located on the 2nd floor, accessible by stairs and elevator.

The class schedule is displayed outside of the door for parents to see, as well as reminders for

upcoming events. The classroom layout (Figure 1) is fairly large and open, with large windows

providing natural light. Cubbies and storage shelves line one wall and each cubby is labelled

with the name and photograph of the child (Figure 2). Centers are separated by short shelves,

filled with toys, games, and supplies that children can reach easily and without assistance (Figure

3). The low furniture allows for any adult to easily scan the room. Each center is clearly

separated from the others by a physical barrier with toys clearly labeled with pictures and words.

The room has a relatively good flow, with little congestion or open space. The teachers have

ample storage and preparation areas and are able to prepare materials while supervising due to

the open layout.

There are seven centers: puzzles, pretend play/house keeping, reading, fine motor,

science/sensory, circle time, and blocks/trucks. The teachers spent most of the time in the front

of the classroom preparing activities or playing puzzles with the children. The most popular area

was the housekeeping area where children primarily played with the costumes. During one

observation, a teacher guided a Playdoh activity at the fine motor table for a few children. A few

children played independently in the puzzle and block areas. I did not observe any children in

the reading or science areas of the room and the teachers informed me that these are not very

popular during free play. The children changed centers when they chose to, with little

intervention from the teachers. The pretend area was congested and loud at times, and some

children would take toys from one center to another.

In order to promote further engagement in all centers, I recommend that teachers be more

consistent about having children switch centers after 15-20 minutes and limiting the number of

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3children in each center. In the pretend area, few children played with the kitchen area, so this

can be altered or switched out for something that the children demonstrate interest in. The

costumes are used frequently but are difficult to clean up, as they are meant to be hung up on

small hangers. I noticed that the teachers did most of the clean up in this area, so I propose

replacing the hangers for clear drawers and a folding station so that the children can practice

folding--a skill they are more likely to use at home. There were few alternatives to dress up and

kitchen play, so introducing other dramatic play toys (handyman supplies, doctor’s kit, cleaning

supplies, etc…) could promote more varied play. The reading area included a display of theme-

related books, a tower of puppets, and several bean bags stacked up against the display (Figure

4). I recommend moving the beanbags to the outside of the carpet to create a quiet and closed

off space and make books more easily accessible. I also recommend moving puppets to the

pretend play area, as children tend to use them similarly to dolls.

There are two identical rectangular tables in the room, one in the puzzle area and one in

the fine motor area. In order to differentiate purpose, one of these could be replaced with a

circular or jellybean table and utilized for small group learning activities during center time.

Finally, I recommend adding more literacy and student art at eye level and on the bulletin boards.

Presently there is no alphabet or numbers at eye level, and no picture schedule. There are a few

pictures around the room of families from different cultural backgrounds, but these exist without

context and without a clear purpose. With the addition of a world map, the students could build

context for cultural pictures and build on their pretend play. There is one student in the

classroom who speaks Spanish at home and engages in code switching throughout class. The

inclusion of Spanish text throughout the classroom could help this student gain literacy in both

languages.

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Component 3: Schedule and Daily Routines.

The daily schedule (See Figure 5) includes a brief description of activities throughout the

day and includes time for transitions between activities, clean up, and using the bathroom. There

are small pictures to represent each part of the day which may prove useful to a non-English

speaking parent or if provided to a student. The summer schedule, however, varies significantly

from this daily schedule as there are field trips that alter the routines. During the summer,

students at St. James’s leave the school in the morning to explore the community’s parks, pools,

and museums. The summer schedule is not clearly on display in the room and does not give an

explanation as to how the field trips affect the remainder of the schedule.

Circle/reading time is scheduled for 15 minutes in the morning, which reflects the

Creative Curriculum recommendation of 5-20 minutes in large groups (Dodge, Colker, &

Heroman, 2002). During circle time, the class goes over the day, month, weather, and discussion

of the weekly theme. This is the only large group meeting in the day, aside from meals and

possibly a story in the afternoon. It could be beneficial to include a second circle time in the

afternoon as, according to Dodge, Colker and Heroman (2002), “a group time just before

children go home allows children to reflect on the day’s events and provides closure” (p. 85).

The schedule supports ample time for children to explore their environments

independently (3-4 hours) in activity centers and outside, but could be altered slightly to provide

more structure and guidance for those children who need it. This could be achieved by including

more small group activities during free play that help the children discover new ways to utilize

the room and resources. For instance, if the children rarely write on the whiteboard during free

play, the teachers can lead a brief engaging activity at the whiteboard and allow children to

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5continue with the activity on their own. During my observation, I found that the students

gravitated toward certain centers and activities without exploring something new. The teachers

can use incidental teaching (McWilliam & Casey, 2008) to reinvent the environment by

demonstrating a new way to play with a toy--blocks can be buildings, but also ramps for trucks,

walls of a home, luggage for a trip, or any number of things. The teachers could also utilize a

timer in the classroom to make students more aware of the next transition and to encourage

students to change activity centers periodically throughout the day and try something new. As

these children spend up to 10 and a half hours at the school, it would be beneficial to provide

more varied activities and structured play periodically throughout the day to keep children

engaged and curious.

Component 4: Milestones of Child Development.

According to the Office of Early Childhood Development (2008), at 48 months children

begin to demonstrate and develop empathy and caring. They may soothe a baby doll or relate to

a friend who is sad. They interact more easily with others by cooperating, taking turns, and

resolving conflicts by using their words. Children are learning to express their feelings and

understand that their actions affect others. 4 year olds tend to have a positive self-image and are

beginning to understand their strengths, feelings, and preferences (OECD, 2008). They begin to

draw themselves and can talk about their favorite things (OECD, 2008). The children at St.

James’s expressed concern for a friend if they looked sad and engaged in imaginative play

activities together. At one point, a girl pretended to be a mother to a boy and pretended to feed

him with a bottle. The children spoke excitedly about their interests which include Teenage

Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hello Kitty, Batman, and coloring.

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6Children use basic grammar and can reflect on the recent past, for instance when I asked

whether a student likes school, she responded “sometimes it’s fun, but sometimes I get bored.

I’d rather be at the pool.” They are learning shapes, colors, letters, and numbers and can

remember the words of songs (OECD, 2008), as demonstrated during circle time, as the students

sang together. Four year olds begin to use scissors and glue, play with puzzles and matching,

and throw and catch a ball (OECD, 2008). The students in class have the opportunity to use

scissors and glue independently, and engage in various fine and gross motor activities that

promote coordination and accuracy.

Component 5: Modifications.

In this section, I will discuss two children with disabilities and how the 4 year old

classroom at St. James’s could be modified to accommodate them.

Patrick is a 4 year old who has been in a community-based childcare center for two years.

He has been diagnosed with Developmental Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia) and teachers

suspect that he may have Autism Spectrum Disorder due to delays in speech/communication and

social-emotional areas. Patrick has a hard time making friends and communicating with others

and acts out in frustration when he is not understood. He is easily distracted by visual and

auditory stimuli due to a sensory processing disorder, which leads him to wander around the

room or lose focus quickly in an activity. He has delayed fine motor functioning, so he struggles

during art and writing activities. Patrick does not have a clear understanding of the classroom

routines and during transitions or unpreferred activities he will cry, scream, or run away from the

activity. Patrick currently receives speech and Occupational Therapy services.

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7In order for Patrick to learn and play in the 4 year olds classroom, a few modifications

will be made. First, Patrick will have his own portable picture schedule that outlines the

activities throughout the day. The teacher will incorporate a First/Then chart for in-class

routines such as circle time and center time. In order to help Patrick communicate with others,

he will use a picture exchange system with vocabulary relevant to wants, needs, learning

material, and interests. As he is a verbal child with delays, a behavior chart will be implemented

to encourage using his words or PECs to make requests and give information. To address

Patrick’s sensory processing, he will be permitted to wear headphones or spend time in the quiet

corner. During circle time, Patrick will have a personal fidget toy and sit on a wiggle cushion to

allow him to move without getting up and leaving the area. Finally, a variety of adapted scissors,

pencil grips, and large crayons will be provided in the fine motor area for Patrick to use during

art and writing activities.

Benita is a 4 year old with cerebral palsy. She is non-verbal but communicates by

smiling and observing activity around her. She can use a walker when guided, but due to low

mobility is typically transferred around the room by an adult. Benita loves story time and circle

time, and enjoys being around her peers, though she does not have an effective way to interact

with them at this time. Benita hears Spanish at home and English in school, but her

comprehension of either language in unclear. As Benita’s class has 17 students and there are

only two teachers, she is often stationary at one activity for an extended time. There are few toys

or activities in the classroom or on the playground that are accessible to Benita, due to fine and

gross motor delays. For these reasons, Benita participates minimally in play activities

throughout the day.

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8In order for Benita to participate more fully during free play activities, I recommend the

following modifications. Benita will have a wheelchair or rolling chair with attached table in the

classroom. Furniture will be moved to create clear pathways in the classroom. The attached

table will allow Benita to eat and play with the other children, and will also serve as a place to

keep a switch and switch-activated toys that are entertaining to Benita and her peers (fan, moving

animals, music). During art activities, a peer partner can share Benita’s table, so that she will

have a model for activities and a friend with her. As Benita enjoy listening to stories, the reading

activity center could be opened up and include a listening station for audio books or small group

teacher-directed activities with large picture books. This way Benita will participate with peers

and the teachers can address her needs without isolating her. A low-tech communication device

will be provided for Benita so that she can make choices during centers. This could include a

two-option switch if possible, or making choices between two picture cards using eye gaze.

When children go outside to the playground, Benita will be provided with sensory and switch-

activated toys that attract other children, including a bubble machine and fan. Classmates will

take turns each day being her buddy and playing with her in the sandbox, using chalk, or playing

at a water table.

St. James’s Children’s Center can be a good option for either of these children, but may

require additional instructional support and professional development to effectively

accommodate a child with disabilities.

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References

Dodge, D. T., Colker, L. J., & Heroman, C. (2002). The Creative Curriculum For Preschool

(4th Ed.). Washington, D.C.: Teaching Strategies, Inc.

Home. Retreived from http://stjchildrenscenter.org/.

McWilliam, R.A. & Casey, A.M. (2008). Engagement of Every Child in the Preschool

Classroom. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.

Office of Early Childhood Development (2008). Milestones of child development: learning and

development from birth to kindergarten, Virginia’s early childhood development alignment

project. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhood.virginia.gov/documents/milestones.pdf.

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Appendix

Figure 1. Classroom Layout

Credit: Melissa Ward

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Figure 2. Photo of 4 Year Old Classroom

Figure 3. Photo of Shelf Organization

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12Figure 4. Photo of Reading Corner

Figure 5. Daily Schedule.

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