Running head: PEDAGOGY PAPER 1

Pedagogy Paper

Holly Grace Whidden

Louisiana State University

PEDAGOGY PAPER 2

Introduction

In today’s society teachers are swarmed with choices to make for their students. From

major decisions regarding assessments to themes for the curriculum all the way down to minor

details such as the book that is to be read during whole group. All of these choices matter, and

they all relate to the children’s development. Early childhood educators need to keep three core

considerations in mind when making decisions within their classroom. These considerations are:

what is known about child development and learning, what is knows about each child as an

individual, and what is known about the social and cultural contexts in which children live

(Copple & Bredekamp, 2008, p. 9). Each of these considerations take an effect of the

development on a child and what can be considered appropriate.

Early childhood practitioners need to have a keen understanding on childhood

development and the learning process for each age group, especially for the age they are

teaching. According to Copple and Bredekamp (2009), “early childhood education… is

designed to promote children’s intellectual, social, emotional, language and physical

development and learning”. Learning is not based on purely intelligence, but ranges across all of

these domains. Teachers themselves need to be educated in the progressive stages of children

and understand that though each child is an individual, there are common similarities within age

groups and development, and their practices in the classroom will help these developments

emerge and flourish. Many factors play into proper development within the classroom, keeping

the environment, curriculum, experiences and materials used into consideration will greatly

affect the growth of the children. An educated teacher will incorporate these factors effectively

and appropriately into their classroom and encourage the children as they grow and learn. Ms.

PEDAGOGY PAPER 3

Martha from the LSU Child Care Center met this core consideration in the transitioning of her

new set of students from the infant side into the preschool side of the facility.

The Caterpillars classroom at the LSU Child Care Center is full of lively, energetic three

year olds. The two teachers, Ms. Martha and Ms. Winnie were puzzled by this unique group of

children, and took on a brute of a transition into the new classroom. After a long discussion on

the curriculum and assessment strategies for the class, Ms. Martha appeared exasperated with her

new class. She had previously taught four year olds and switching to a younger class was a

challenge she was apprehensive to take on. She understood that this age group is very different

compared to those only a year older, and she must take the extra time to understand their

developmental stages and what should and can be expected of these young children. Her class

includes fourteen children, eight who were not yet potty trained, three who hardly spoke, two

with English as a second language, and one very interesting child who was referred to as “Baby”

Caroline by not only the adults, but also her fellow classmates. The children still used their

hands to eat, and several had pacifiers and slept with tattered blankets at nap time. Even though

she was not fully educated on the expectations and developmental practices for emerging three

year olds, she did notice a severe lack of skills in the language domain, and automatization. The

two sides of the facility are run in different ways. The infant side is used more as a day care

center, whereas the preschool side of the facility focuses on development and learning. Ms.

Martha felt because of this difference the previous teacher had babied these students and she

made it her goal to encourage them and help them until they met the appropriate skills of a child

at their age and stage. The transition took several weeks but always displayed a developmentally

appropriate classroom.

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Within the first three weeks of getting her new class Ms. Martha sent a list of

expectations home for the parents. She expected some complains and uneasiness from the

parents, especially when she said that the children are expected to be potty trained, and will no

longer have binkies or blankets in the classroom. When asked if she had any problems regarding

these new expectations she responded no; she had not set a deadline, understanding that

changing these habits and transitioning will take time, and will be worked on an individual basis.

She understood no two children are identical, and that as long as effort is being forth she is

happy. She worked on creating a positive relationship with each parent and worked with them as

a partner rather than creating an authority. Within two weeks six of the children were out of

their pull-ups and used them only during naptime. The skills they needed were there, she just

needed to tap into them.

Ms. Martha did not enforce “rules” for the children, in which a punishment was

administered if the rule was broken. The expectations were used with encouragement following

a developmentally appropriate practice. The environment was full of age appropriate materials

that incorporated science, language and literacy, mathematics, arts, fine and gross motor, and

music. Routines were created to provide stability and included multiple times for snack and

outdoor play. There is also a naptime using cots labeled specifically for each child, are at least

thirty six inches apart from each other, and covered with the child’s own bedding from home.

These are all aspects of developmentally appropriate practice (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, p.

102). In an inappropriate classroom there would be few to no snacks causing a child to go

hungry. Naptime would be chaotic and the children would be forced to lie on cots that are easily

interchangeable between students and share bedding. Routines would lack consistency and limit

time for play (2009, p. 101).

PEDAGOGY PAPER 5

Teaching Strategies

Small Group

Small group activities are necessary and highly beneficial in the early childhood

classroom. However there are limitations and guidelines for small group. Having three children

play together with blocks with no social interaction should not be considered an effective and

intentional small group. Small group activities should be planned and deliberate, exploring a

subject and working towards a set objective (Brewer, 2007). Teachers should prepare the activity

ahead of time, taking materials, time, group size, and objectives into consideration (Kostelnik,

Soderman, & Whiren, 2011). Teachers should have made arrangements in advance for a small

group while still being flexible. They should incorporate two to six children and display

cooperation and sharing the space set aside (2011, p. 125). These activities can help a teacher

assess the students’ ability to perform certain tasks and the mastery of common core skills. The

group activity should be meaningful and allow children to interact with each other and with the

teacher herself, thus developing social and language skills.

In Ms. Martha’s Caterpillar class small group activities are hard to come by;

however, after a week’s worth of planning the assistant teacher Ms. Winnie led a small group

preparing cards for Grandparent’s Day. The lesson was to be executed over two days, grouping

the children into four groups: two groups of three children and two groups of four. Ms. Winnie

set aside a small table and set of chairs on the left hand side of the classroom away from areas

with busy activity. She had a wide array of materials for the children to use to make cards for

their grandparents. Individual cards were premade by folding a large piece of white cardstock in

half. On the table were containers full of paint, chalk sticks, crayons, markers, foam letter

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pieces, sequins, pom pom balls, safety scissors, and glue. Ms. Winnie called over the first group,

and asked them to come sit with her at the table. She sang a short transition song about lollipops

to gain their attention as they found their seats. She next reminded them that the following week

is Grandparent’s Day, and that it would be a fun idea to invite all of “our” grandparents to spend

the day with us. She asked them if they would like to make invitation cards to ask them to join

the class for the day and celebrate. One girl Annie, who is several months older than the others

in the class, told Ms. Winnie, “I have birthday imbitations”. Ms. Winnie repeated her, “Yes

Annie, you did have birthday invitations for your third birthday party”, emphasizing the v. The

children began to chatter about birthdays and Ms. Winnie exclaimed, “Who thinks we should

make our own invitations to invite your grandparents to come to class for Grandparent’s Day?

Do you think they will like that?” The children eagerly agreed and began to notice all of the

supplies. Ms. Winnie showed the group one of the blank cards and told them they can decorate

them however they want. At one point she mentioned that some grandparent’s live far away, and

may not be able to come. Eli, a Chinese boy in the class, has grandparents that live in China.

She suggested that for ones who live far away they can mail their card. She encouraged them to

write a message on the inside. The children went to town mixing all types of media on the cards,

some even cut shapes out of the card. Ms. Winnie asked the students individually to explain

what they are doing, but only a few responded with coherent answers, while others pointed to the

card before adding more paint or glitter. Three of the children in this particular group scribbled

on the paper in random directions while saying words such as “Papa”, “Nini” and one said “bring

cookies”. The fourth child, Christian instead drew a picture on the inside. When he was asked to

tell what was in his picture he said “The boat.” Christian’s parents went on a cruise to Puerto

Rico earlier in the summer and visited his grandparents. After they were completed Ms. Winnie

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asked them to put them on the large snack table to dry and sang a cleaning song to transition hem

to wash their hands.

This small group experience was adult guided by Ms. Winnie. She had a set

objective for the children and had them engage in an activity created by her to achieve that

objective. She used multiple strategies in her small group to expand and further develop the

children’s abilities in language, literacy and fine motor skills and used strategies across multiple

domains (Kostelnik et al., 2011). She created a communication rich environment, allowing open

conversation during the activity, and also incorporated new vocabulary words and pronunciation

(2011, p. 353). Although Annie mispronounced the word invitation, she did not correct her but

repeated and reinforced the correct pronunciation in a responsive sentence. She involved the

children in a writing activity that was fun and playful where the children had free rein to write

and draw what they wanted without a rigid structure. She took photographs of the finished cards

and used them as assessment indicators, adding them to the children’s portfolios. Within the

aesthetic domain Ms. Winnie used a strategy of creating a creative arts center using multiple

tools and mediums (2011, p. 264). She was enthusiastic about their artwork but used open ended

questions about their individual work, allowing the children to explain not only the process but

the content of their work. This strategy incorporated the development of language and

sequencing.

The teaching strategies worked alongside with the principles of child development and

learning stated in Copple and Bredekamp’s, Developmentally Appropriate Practice (2009). With

the incorporation of Grandparent’s Day principle eight was utilized. This principle states that

social and cultural contexts should be present in the child’s development (2009, p. 13). She

understood culture was not purely ethnic, but also includes family structures, the community and

PEDAGOGY PAPER 8

other regions of the world. She also touched on the first principle which enforces that all domain

of learning are important and should be built upon. Her activity engaged physical activity with

fine motor skills, the social domain with writing a message and talking about what they are

creating, and cognitive using explanations, sequencing and literacy (Berk, 2012).

In the state of Louisiana one grade level expectation for preschoolers is “Use scribble

writing, letter-like forms, dictation, or drawing to represent a word or concept” (Standards,

Assessment, and Accountability, 2008). Annie, Eli and Caleb all displayed this standard during

the small group activity. They made small scribbles on the inside of their cards and this

demonstrates the scribble phase of development (Berk, 2012, p. 310). The scribbles were meant

to denote a message as explained by the children. Caleb told Ms. Winnie his card was to Nini,

pointing to a swirl on the paper, displaying that the scribble was meant to represent her name.

Only one child out of the group did not use a writing format but instead drew a picture which is

covered by a different expectation.

Whole Group

Whole group activities involve all of the children in the classroom and engage them in a

planned activity. “The curricular focus of a particular group time might be aesthetic, affective,

cognitive, linguistic, physical or social… group times incorporate a wide range of activities”

(Kostelnik, et al., 2011, pg. 99). It is important to not overload the lesson with many different

activities, instead using one or two. It is used to communicate important ideas, themes, or

lessons to the entire group at one time. They are often used to start the day and create a

transition into the day’s activities (Brewer, 2009). Whole group time, similar to small group,

should revolve around a goal and be planned in advance. The children should be engaged and

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involved in the group. It emphasizes interactive learning and social skills such as listening and

taking turns. Although it may only incorporate a couple of activities it may cover goals across

multiple domains.

After breakfast is cleaned up and all of the children have used the rest room the

caterpillar class gathers for whole group time to start of the day. Eleven children were present

and sat on the green carpet around a bulletin board with a calendar, chart that reads “Today is…,

Yesterday was…, and Tomorrow will be…” There is also a weather chart next to the “handy

helper” segment of the board. Ms. Martha asks the class who knows what the day is. Nicole

raises her hand and yells, “September!” Ms. Martha responds that it is in fact September, “Our

month is September, and the day is T-t-t-Tuesday”, sound out the t. She asked the class to repeat

the word Tuesday and they all did in semi-unison. She read aloud the full date which was the

Tuesday September eighteenth. She asked the children to count along with her to eighteen. By

the end of the counting exercise some children were up and rustling about. She stated she was

going to stop loud three times and once she hits three everyone should be on their bottoms.

Without being asked the children counted with her and the standing children sat back down. It

was time to give out the helper assignments and Leonie received the weather girl for sitting

properly. She asked Leonie to go look outside the window and tell the class the weather. She

ran to the door and peeked out the window and said rainy, when it was actually sunny with some

clouds. Leonie returned to the board and put the arrow on rainy. Ms. Martha asked her to stay up

there and asked the class as a whole, do they think it is hot or cold outside? The class

replied,”Hot!” including Leonie. She looked at Leonie and asked, “If it is hot out then it must be

what..?” Leonie replied that it should be sunny. Ms. Martha talked to the class as a whole stating

that since they can’t see the sun it must be cloudy, and she moved the arrow to cloudy. She

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looked at Leonie and told her that it was raining earlier, but since it isn’t any more they can play

outside later. She went on with her lesson for the day, revolving around the theme of trees. She

sang a song about trees while drawing one on a large sheet of paper. She made the song up as

she went and included apples, oranges and a squirrel on the tree. At the end of the song they

counted together the oranges, apples and the one squirrel. Next to the tree drawing on a blank

area she wrote out the words apple, orange, and squirrel, emphasizing the sounds of each letter.

She asked the class how many oranges they had just counted. Caleb responded with the correct

amount of eleven. Ms. Martha reapated his answer, “Yes we have eleven oranges”, and wrote

the number 11 next to the word orange. She repeated this for the other items. She asked the

class which number is smallest and most of them responded with one. She then asked if eleven

oranges is less than or more than one? She wrote out the equation 11>1 and read the equation.

She told the class with enthusiasm, “We made a mathematical equation! Who can say that?

Math-e-matical, e-qua-tion?” The class attempted to repeat it a few times. By this point the class

was getting antsy and Ms. Martha recognized that and had them stand up and “shake out their

branches” before they lined up for outdoor time.

Ms. Martha incorporated many different strategies within this whole group lesson. It

may have been a little too overwhelming for the age group due to the length of the lesson.

Towards the end they began to lose interest and lost focus. Using the tree activity she helped the

children “build social studies concepts through theme/ project choices” (Kostelnik, et al., 2011,

p. 418). She used music and singing to incorporate the parts of a tree and what grew on them.

Another strategy was writing and sounding out the words, promoting phonemic awareness. She

allowed Leonie to take a risk in speaking and even when she gave the incorrect answer on the

weather she turned it into a conceptualizing activity rather than correcting her. One major

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strategy she used towards the end of the whole group was expanding the children’s vocabulary in

mathematics. Using the words mathematical, equation, more and less than works to help build

their comparison skills and vocabulary. She also kept a positive attitude during the lesson, even

when the children began to lose interest, encouraging the children’s curiosity. She also

demonstrated strategies in the aesthetic domain by drawing out the tree and using different colors

to draw the fruit, leaves and animal (2011).

The strategies that Ms. Martha used were mostly effective. For a good portion of the

lesson she had the class’s full attention and they were giving responses with matched

enthusiasm. She clearly demonstrated principle nine by providing a range of teaching strategies

in numerous domains to expand the child’s knowledge and deepen their learning (Copple &

Bredekamp, 2009, p.11). Certain aspects of the lesson may not have been developmentally

appropriate, namely asking the children about the mathematical equations. At this point majority

of the students can count in a choral but have a hard time counting in the correct sequence on

their own. However, her strategy of explaining how one number is more or less than another

was helpful. She was demonstrating her knowledge of the second principle of development and

learning; children build upon the skills they have already acquired (2009). This was also

demonstrated with the weather. The children understood that the sun makes it hot out, and rainy

weather can make it colder, therefore it must be warm out because it was sunny and bright. She

used the principle of self-regulation (principle six) when she had the children wiggle about to

refocus and regain their attention (2009).

A common core standard in math for preschool is the ability to “Compare sets of objects

using same/different and more/less/fewer” (Standards, Assessment, and Accountability, 2008).

In this whole group activity Ms. Martha presented information that asked the children to

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demonstrate this skill. Some children were able to get the correct answer be responding that one

is less than eleven and eleven is more than one. However some remained silent during the

activity, yet still focused. It is difficult to tell if the children who did not respond have obtained

this skill, or are still in the process of learning. But their attention to Ms. Martha talking about

comparing and contrasting number will reinforce the idea and vocabulary that they will later

need to display.

Learning Centers/ Play

“Play is an important vehicle for developing self-regulation as well as for promoting

language, cognition and social competence” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, p.14). Play is a major

part of developmentally appropriate practice. It does not need to be planned, but there should be

room in the routine or schedule for intentional and engaging play every day. Child’s play has the

ability to enhance and increase a child’s development in all domains. It provides motor skills,

language, cognition, gathering and processing information and promotes social skills (Kostelnik,

et al., 2009).

During outdoor time a younger girl Neala was playing on the slide/ jungle gym. On the

structure there are two fake steering wheels, a set of stairs leading to the platform and a slide

going down. There is also a large plastic bubble window on the side adjacent to the steering

wheels. Neala exclaims that she is flying her rocketship. I asked where is the rocket going? She

responds, “It is going to the airport to see the planes.” I asked her about the steering wheel and

who is driving. She tells me that there are two steering wheels so two people can d rive. She

then jumped to the window and yelled to me, “Bye! Going to see the planes!” After several

moments she slid down the slide and hears a plane flying above us. Annie joins the two of us

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and exclaims that the plane left. I asked them where they think he is going. Annie said he was

going to class and walks away. Neala changes the subject and tells me that she has an RV and is

going to drive it. I told her I wanted an RV too, I love driving. Neala responded with, “Go get

one!” I told her I don’t have any money and asked her if she knew where I could get some. She

walked over to the picnic table and pretended to pick up money and handed it to me. She told

me I can get an RV now, and it should be pink. We then were called to go indoors and the play

ended.

One aspect of this class that is not developmentally appropriate is free centers and play.

The children are allowed to play in all of the centers but during this time the lead teacher works

on paperwork and portfolio projects, leaving very little interaction with the students. However in

this particular time of play I acted as the teacher and included social skills with the notion that

money is needed to make purchases. I asked open ended question and had Neala explain what

she was doing and where she was going, all the while engaging in the play. She was able to

express one to one correspondence with the two steering wheels. The play was mainly child

guided, but I encouraged it with questions.

The few strategies I used appeared to be effective. Neala expressed her thoughts and

motives fully, and demonstrated the idea that money does not just appear but it must be received,

thus grabbing it from a pretend source. Principle ten, the principle on play, was clearly displayed

in this activity. Neala used the generic steering wheel on the jungle gym as a symbolic structure

for a plane’s steering wheel. She acted out a role of a pilot, and actively planned the play.

In this play activity Neala displayed that she has accomplished the common core standard

displaying the ability to “carry on a conversation about a topic, thought, or idea from the

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classroom, home, or community” (Standards, Assessment, and Accountability, 2008). She

talked about the airport, a community center and the function of the airport which houses planes.

She was also able to connect the idea that both rocket ships and planes fly in the sky, and have to

be driven by a person using a steering wheel. She took turns talking with me without cutting off

a sentence or speaking out of turn, displaying a necessary social skill. She also provided

information to keep the conversation going.

Learning Environment

The classroom environment plays an important role in development. The furniture in the

classroom need to be appropriate in size and functionality (Brewer, 2007). A one year old

cannot be expected to sit at a full sized, adult table, or play with toys on a large book shelf; the

same as a four year old using a high chair with restraints. The classroom materials also need to

be developmentally appropriate and correspond to the students’ abilities. The environment

should be safe and sanitary, and allow for a wide range of activity (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009).

The class should have multiple organized areas to play and learn across the domains of

development, including gross motor functions. The students should have access to their own

personal space or cubby, and access to a restroom at all times (2007). The classroom

environment should be diverse, encouraging and applicable to the students’ interests.

In the caterpillar classroom there are various centers incorporating different forms of

development. The art center is near the sink, and the library is off to the side in a quiet area.

Soft toys are placed in the quiet area too with a vide variety of books ranging in topic and

difficulty. This caters to the different levels of literary development with the children in the

class. There is a dramatic play area with a kitchen, woodworking, dining room, closet, and

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market. The furniture is size appropriate and multi-functional to allow the children to create

different scenarios in dramatic play. The music center contains various instruments, dancing

ribbons, and a cd player with a large amount of CD’s. The teacher allows the children to go

about the centers for free play for a majority of the day. There is little organization of who is

supposed to go to what area and for how long, but this does allow for the practice of self-

regulation. The children have access to their individual cubbies and all have their own cot and

bedding for nap time. Ms. Martha displays the children’s work around the classroom at their

level of vision to promote their creativity and effort. The classroom is labeled with both names

and pictures to promote literacy and word recognition.

Routines/ Schedules

Routines and schedules give a needed stabilioty and consitensy to the daily lives of

developing children. Routines should incorporate time frames that stimulating and attention-

span appropriate for the age of the children it caters to. There should be enough time for a child

to become engaged in complex, organized play (Gronlund, 2010), but limited enough to prevent

overstimulation. A developmentally appropriate classroom routine should “allow for periods of

alternating active and quiet time, adequate nutrition, and naptime.” (Copple & Bredekamp,

2009).

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The Caterpillar’s Routine

7:30 Arrival/ Free play

8:30 Breakfast

8:50 Hand washing, bathroom break

9:10 Circle Time

9:30 Outdoor Time

10:00 Free centers

11:00 Lunch

11:30 Hand washing, bathroom break

11:45 Naptime

2:00 Bathroom, clean up

2:30 Outdoor time

3:00 Snack

3:20 Free centers

4:00 Small group

4:30 Snack

4:50 Free centers/ departure

The Child Care Center fosters a rigid schedule with meals, outdoor time and naptime.

The administrators regulate these times based off of the employee’s breaks. Even with this set

schedule Ms. Martha was able to make a daily routine that fits the needs of her class. There is

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ample time for in depth play, along with a full hour per day outdoor time to develop gross motor

skills. The majority of teaching is during circle time. The one section of small group is often

used for the daily art activity, which is normally adult guided, but never modeled. There are

numerous times for snack and balanced meals provided by the center so the children never go

hungry. During naptime if a child is not tired or wakes up early he/ she may read quietly or work

with a quiet manipulative until rest time is over.

Transitions

Transitions in early childhood education provide a fun, energetic way to switch tasks and

incorporate new information. They can be used to refocus the children, or in preparation for a

new skill or objective. They should be used in between activities and ready the children

mentally and physically for the next item on the schedule. They may also reiterate what is

expected of them at a certain time. They promote self-regulation and autonomy.

Ms. Martha does not use many transitions but Ms. Winnie always incorporates them into

the daily routine. She uses finger-plays, songs, dances, and games in between activities, and to

regain the class’ focus. When the children need to wind down for naptime, she has them rest

their heads on the table and envision a slow soothing story she tells. She is ready to make up a

transition on the spot if needed, and it usually pertains to the activity or theme. This reinforced

the activity or skill for the children and encourages them to listen and participate.

Children with Exceptionalities

The Caterpillars share a resource area, bathroom and the playground with a second class

which has three special needs children; therefore they have had to make adaptations for these

children. On the playground are scooters along with the tricycles for those who are not able to

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coordinate the steering with peddling. There is a changing table in the bathroom area for those

who still need diapers, and the furniture is all spaced to allow wheelchair access and easy

mobility. One of the students in the caterpillars has delayed speech. He has troubled forming

coherent sounds and the school provides a speech therapist for him once a week. When he is

called on to answer Ms. Martha makes a game to pronounce thing slow and use harsh

articulation like a turtle so he gets less frustrated if she is not able to understand him.

Sensitivity for Diversity

The caterpillars is a very diverse class not only ethnically but also economically and

location wise. There are students who represent all but two continents and some who live in

apartments, others in the suburbs. A few even have English as their second language. Objects in

the classroom are labeled with names and pictures; however the print is in two different

languages: Chinese and English. Two of the girls do not eat pork for religious reasons and have

special meals prepared for them. There are books that display different ethnicities, family types

and even have characters with exceptionalities. There are dolls with different ethnicities in

dramatic play, along with costumes that represent community workers and different cultures.

Every year there is a Grandparent’s Day where the children’s grandparents are invited to spend

that day with their grandchildren and read aloud to the class.

Philosophy on Teaching

Children and Education

In my opinion the first years of a child’s life are the most important years for social,

physical, emotional, and intellectual development. Children from the ages of six weeks to eight

years old need to be put in a safe and encouraging environment to reach their full potential in

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learning. I believe children are really important in today’s and tomorrow’s society and a solid

education is a must. They should be cared for, nurtured and always challenged in an inspiring

way. I believe highly in the constructivist theory, which states that learning is controlled by the

learner, (Brewer 2007, pg 61). A child should be introduced to new topics and material, and

from there they should be able to explore them, and gain knowledge from it. Also, social

development must be learned by socializing and interacting with others outside the classroom

and during play. I believe play is highly important in a child’s development. Play provides

freedom and works with both fine and gross motor functions (Brewer 2007, pg 22).

Role as a Teacher

I believe the teacher should be an encouraging, inspiring role model for an early

education classroom. They should be attentive and willing to work with each child and family

individually to solve any obstacles. As a teacher I would participate in activities with the

children, guide them but still allow freedom and creativity. I will interact with a class on both

individual and group levels, and understand the importance of group work. I would be

encouraging and understanding of a child’s abilities, or lack thereof, and evaluate each child on

an individual basis. I understand that no two children are identical, and they each have a unique

set of qualities and talents. I view a child’s abilities as a staircase, you cannot just step up to the

top, you must first reach the first step, and move on one by one until you are at the top and truly

successful. With that view I would use Vygotsky’s technique of “scaffolding” through the zone

of proximal development, (Brewer 2007, pgs 9-10). I would assist a child with tasks, guiding

him until he feels comfortable in his abilities to eventually complete his task without any help at

all.

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Environment

I want to create a safe and comfortable environment for the children. Each child will

have his own space such as a cubby or shelf, which he can access at any time during the day.

There will also be a number of learning areas available for the child to participate in, giving

variety to the child. I do not think a child should be pushed or forced to work in one certain area.

The different areas will create an organized classroom (Brewer 2007, pg 87), and be simple for a

child to easily find an activity he wants to do. I would not put a concrete limit on areas, but I

would understand having a surplus of children in one area could be hazardous and solve the issue

on an individual basis. With the children having freedom it will reflect my view that they can

learn at their own free will, and also interact and communicate with each other, thus building

their social skills. I would try not to change the classroom around because I want the children to

feel comfortable being in a stable environment.

Feedback and Assessment

I would give the children descriptive and positive feedback when they have accomplished

something that they themselves are proud of. Boosting a child’s self-esteem is important, and

when they accomplish an obstacle they deserve to be recognized. I would try and stay away

from cliché saying and giving rewards. I do not believe children should try and do well merely

for a reward, but for the sheer joy of achieving a goal. As for discipline I firmly believe in the

true form of “time out”. I think it is important to not let feelings get involved and for all sides to

step back, take a break and then talk about the problem at hand. I would not use it as a form of

punishment, but as a moment of self-regulation. Children should be disciplined by having them

understand what the problem is, and understanding why it is a problem. If another child is

PEDAGOGY PAPER 21

involved and feelings are hurt I think it is important to point of the feelings of the child’s peers.

If problems persist I would talk to the parents/guardians personally about solving the issue.

Assessments would be based on each child and not as a whole. Since everyone is treated as an

individual I believe it is important to assess the same way. However when viewing a specific

theme or activity I would look at the entire class’s take on the assignment to know if it was

successful or not. I would keep a portfolio on each child with samples and anecdotes that

correspond to the state and national standards for their age group.

Influential Theories and People

As I mentioned earlier I believe in the constructivist theory which includes both Jean

Piaget and Vygotsky (Brewer 2007, pg 20). I believe children can only learn if they are open to

it, and cannot be force fed information. Also children are able to help each other learn through

scaffolding. I believe classroom and curriculum should be developmentally appropriate and

teacher should know their students on an individual level, which is a main point of

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (Copple and Bredekamp 2009, pg xii). The Montessori

approach is also a very good approach, but I feel that children should be allowed to explore their

materials and activities and not have one set way to use/do them. And again, I firmly believe in

positive feedback and the correct usage of “time-out”, (Brewer 2007, pg 177).

PEDAGOGY PAPER 22

References

Berk, L. E. (2012). Infants, children, and adolescents (7th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Bredekamp, S., Copple, C., & National Association for the Education of Young Children.

(2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs (3rd ed.).

Washington, D.C: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Brewer, J. A. (2007). Introduction to early childhood education: Preschool through primary

grades (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Epsin, A. S. (2007). The Intentional Teacher. National Association for the Education of Young

Children. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/store/files/store/TOC/165.pdf

Gronlund, G. (2010). In Developmentally appropriate play: Guiding young children to a higher

level. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Kostelnik, M. J., Soderman, A. K., & Whiren, A. P. (2009). Developmentally appropriate

curriculum: Best practices in early childhood education (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J:

Merrill.

Standards, Assessments, and Accountability. (2008). Louisiana Department of Education.

Retrieved from http://www.louisianaschools.net/LDE/saa/1915.html