What Type of Environment Best Support Childrens Learning - Report Example

Learning journal What type of environment best support children’s learning? Diversity is the best environment to set up a child’s learning environment. The nature of setting up the environment depends more on the age of the learning population. While setting up supportive materials while learning, one needs to set up toys based on age. The aim of toys is to create a practice aspect while learning with focus being on the outcome of each individual child learning progress. Supportive materials to be included in the learning environment include magazines illustration charts and pictures (Simpson, 2010). The materials should be related to what the population studies while at school. The materials include the aspect of diversity while learning with each student being able to relate to the support materials (Fabian & Mould, 2009). The concepts in class should be demonstrated in the pictures and illustrations designed by the teacher. The teacher should design the materials as a way of offering supportive learning materials as a way of offering the children with an opportunity to carry out self assessment while glancing at the materials surrounding them (Gredlein, 2007). The toys should be included in the set up as a way of offering the children with an opportunity to play while learning hence developing a conducive learning environment. Figure 1(Gredlein, 2007) Figure 2 (Easton, 2008) The other environment that is conducive for learning among children is one that allows the children to participate in the learning progress. The environment creates an opportunity for children to recognize their Metacognition ability (Beran et al, 2012). Their weaknesses are then used by the teacher to improve the learning process and nature of study. Each child possesses unique characteristics and the learning environment should explore these differences as a means of ensuring the children utilise them during learning and create a unique learning environment. The participation of the children in the learning process breaks the monotony of the teaching progress and creates an environment where the students are able to use their own skills to improve their learning progress. Individual choose an appropriate model in grasping concepts while using the other children to gauge their levels of understanding and singling out their weakness (Herr, 2004). These weaknesses are assessed by teachers once they offer test or through observation. The observations made are assisted by the fact that the individual is willing to learn but a certain limit deters the child from a smooth learning process. The nature of study allows the child to adjust to a more productive concept that allows the child to use the other students in improving their understanding on given concepts. The nature of comparison is enhanced by the composition of the environment that allows the teacher to access the children’s perception on education (MacNaughton, 2010). Figure 3 (Beran et al, 2012) What is the educator’s role in promoting learning? The role of the educator involves the design of the learning environment. The teacher ensures the environment is conducive while learning. He tries to eliminate elements that create the negative aspects that deter learning as a whole. They sensitive the children on the environmental factors that promote their philosophy and keeps in mind the interest and welfare of the children (Arleen, 2009). The learning environment is designed by the teacher to enable the learning process and at the same time evaluate the progress of each student while learning. Cultural aspect and diversity in the learning process is implemented by the teacher. The design by the teacher is aimed at developing equality during the learning processs and at the same time improves the lives of the students while learning. The evaluation process in the learning procedure is also enhanced by the teacher with the details depending majorly on the teaching plan (Bruner, 2000). The teacher decides on when the child is able to move on to the next class or redo the test based on results of the assessment process. Figure 4 indicates a graph the will aid in the evaluation process. Figure 4 (Greater Saskatoon catholic school, 2014) The educator is also tasked with the administrative duties and the management roles. They include ensuring all aspects including the logistic aspects are available during the learning process. They coordinate the student’s welfare with the parent’s participation towards the learning process (Smidt, 2005). The materials needed during the each lessons are made available by the teacher with support of the administrative organization of each learning institution (Gillies et al, 2007). The institution is designed in a manner in which the teachers suggest on measures to be taken by the administrator. The outcome of the coordination between the teacher and the administration is the inclusion of the teacher in any given aspect of decision making. The process of the education is to ensure each given aspect of learning is achieved by each child. The assessment and teaching philosophies designed by the educator is aimed at ensuring the student achieves the set goals and objectives and emerge successful based on assessment plan but across by the teacher and other educators. The child seeks support from the educator and uses him as reference while assessing their understanding on educational concepts (Mclachlan et al, 2013). The self assessment process by the children is enhanced by the availability of the educator with comparison done based on concepts grasped during the learning process (Radich& Touhill, 2011). How should children’s learning be planned for and assessed? The child’s understanding should be based on the nature and levels of mind with concept being introduced based on the personal levels. Each lesson should give an opportunity for each individual to test their understanding. A day to day assessment should be integrated into the teaching plan. With previous concept tested based on the ability of the student. The day to day assessment should include the child’s concepts and Metacognition ability as a means of ensuring the next plan is initiated based on the assessment process. The day- to- day assessment process involves questioning where the children are subjected to questions related to thought concepts (Radich& Touhill, 2011). The process is either oral or written with homework based situated in carrying out the process. The class assessment would be based on the previous class teaching. The questions should relate directly to concept taught and a student should be able to relate to the question. Foreign concepts should be kept on hold as the understanding of the children would be based on learned concepts and introducing foreign ideas could jeopardise the whole process. Diagram 1(Radich& Touhill, 2011) While assessing, the other process involves observation where the teacher concentrate on specific concepts. The teacher would judge the student based on the result of the observation. Upon satisfaction of the process the teacher then is mandated with introducing new concepts. The assessment process should include a general paper that would test the child’ understanding of the term’s concept with the results giving an opportunity for the teacher to promote successful student with those who failed given an opportunity to repeat concepts taught(MacNaughton, 2010). The day to day assessment is designed in ensuring the student transit smoothly to the next concepts with the term assessment ensuring the students are able to move on to the next class and other major concepts. The term assessment is based on wider concepts being tested different from the day-to –day assessment where a single concept is tested. Diagram 2 ((MacNaughton, 2010)) The teaching plan involves three major stages which include introduction of concepts where new ideas are introduced to the students. The other stage involves the internalization of the concepts with is mandated to the children. The cognitive skills play an important role in ensuring that the students are in line with concepts. The final stage involves assessment where the concepts are tested before the introduction of new concepts (Wellhousen & Crowther, 2004). The assessment involves testing and discussion before a final analysis is done on whether the students are able to grasp concepts and apply them during their entire learning process. After assessment the teacher then decides on whether the student has the ability to proceed further or the levels of understanding warrants a repeat of given concepts. The involvement of the students provides the assessment process the much needed strength and results are both essential to the parent and the teachers plan. Introduction Internalization Assessment Diagram 3(Wellhousen & Crowther, 2004) What have you learned? The curriculum that integrates diversity with the existing learning concept is the most successful while introducing the most effective teaching plan. Bandura’s learning theory defines learning as a process and the activity of the immediate environment determines the outcome of the children. Different countries provide different learning philosophies but the basis remains the general outcome which is based on the methodology applied by the educator with emphasis being laid on the value each method add to the learning process by the student(Whitebread & Coltman, 2008). Planning is the major concept in the teaching fraternity with plans to counter any difficulty experienced during the process designed. The flexibility of the teaching plan is essential in ensuring concepts are understood while the interest of the student kept in mind while teaching. It is evident on how the curriculum set by the government should be used in designing teaching plan with the plans being used in ensuring the learning process determined by the number of individuals who adapt to the philosophies. Children depend on the educators in ensuring their learning is a success (Smilkstein, 2012). A successful learning process is which sets goals and sets the period in which the plans needs to be executed and defines the number of mechanisms needed to ensure the goals are achieved. The curriculum gives base of this concept while ensuring each teachers plan does not bridge the set procedures on child’s teaching program (Davis &Krajcik, 2005). Assessment of the procedure uses the aim and objective of each given plan as a benchmark. A clear guideline ensures the child is guided to the right path by the teacher. A part from the general learning process, play is essential in the teaching process as it provided the child an opportunity to develop his social interaction bit. The child is subjected to many complex concepts while learning and play ensures the child gets the opportunity to break the monotony and physically develops the child with a transition between lessons being enhanced by the number of activities available to the child (Neisse, 2000). The essence of toys in a learning environment ensures the children an opportunity to create a friendly environment needed during the learning process of each individual. The goals of the pedagogy are to ensure the student is comfortable while learning and play provided the students with a different concept on the teacher. It creates the learning process with the concept of ensuring the teacher is used as a centre of attraction and all concepts being drawn from them. It also gives the diversity aspect of any given learning process (Cushman, 2013). The success of any learning process is determined by the nature of the educator as their commitment is what defines a successful process. The attitude and determination of the educator ensures a perfect environment that enhances and promotes learning. The educator should design the assessment process that should allow the students the opportunity to reflect on what is being taught and directly linked what is being taught with the goals of given plan (Euade, 2011). Diagram 4(Euade, 2011) Reference Arleen, P. M., 2009.Creating Your Teaching Plan: A Guide for Effective Teaching. Indiana, Authorhouse. Beran, M., Brandl, J., Perner, J. & Proust,J.,2012. Foundations of Metacognition. New York, Oxford University Press. Bruner, J. 2000. The process of education. London, Harvard University Press. Cushman, K. 2013.Developing Curriculum in Essential Schools, [Online], Available: [20 April 2014]. Davis, E.A. and Krajcik, J.S. 2005. Designing Educative Curriculum Materials to Promote Teacher Learning, Educational Researcher, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 3-14. Dewey, J.2007. Experience and Education. New York, Simon and Schuster Easton, M.2008. Baby Peter and The Uncertainty. Available [20 April 2014] Euade, T. 2011. Thinking Through Pedagogy for primary and Early Years Learning Matters. Exeter, learning matters. Fabian, H., & Mould, C., 2009. Development & Learning for Very Young Children. New York, Sage. Gillies, R., Ashman, A., & Terwel, I. 2007. the teacher’s role in implementing cooperative learning in the classroom. New York, Springer. Greater Saskatoon catholic school .2014.Referral To Student Service for Individual Assessment Or Support. Available < http://www.scs.sk.ca/instructional_services/lat/module7.php>[24 April 2014 ] Gredlein, J., 2007. The Development of Planning Ability in Children: The Role of Meta-planning, Transfer, and Individual Differences. Michigan, ProQuest. Herr, J.2004. Working with young children. Chicago, Goodheart-Wilcox. MacNaughton, G., Rolfe, S. A. and Siraj-Blatchford, I. (eds) (2010) Doing Childhood Research: International Perspectives on Theory and Practice. Open University Press Buckingham, Philadelphia. Mclachlan, C., Fleer, M., & Edwards, S. 2013. Early childhood curriculum: planning, assessment and implementation. New York, Cambridge University Press. Neisser, U, 2000. Concepts and Conceptual Development: Ecological and Intellectual Factors in Categorization. New York, Cambridge University Press. Radich, J., & Touhill, L., 2011, Talking about practice: Environment makeover. Melbourne, Australian Government Initiative. Simpson, K.2010. The Learning process: some creative impression. New York, strategic Book publishing. Smidt, S., 2005.Observing, Assessing and Planning for Children in the Early Years, London, Psychological press. Smilkstein, R. 2012.we’re born to learn: using the brain’s natural learning process to create today’s curriculum. Boston, Corwin press. Wellhousen, K. & Crowther, I.,2004. Creating Effective Learning Environments. London, Cengage Learning. Whitebread, D. & Coltman, P. 2008.Teaching and Learning in the Early Years. London , Routledge. Read More