My Work
During my M.Ed I will be completing various assignments, some individual and some with group members. Below I will describe the assignment and how each one has impacted my understanding of early childhood education and my growth as a teacher
Early Childhood Development Theories
In this video I talk about an early childhood development theory that resonates with me as an educator after doing some research. I found that the principles of Montessori really speak to me and how I believe children learn and develop best. I know that in the future I will look towards working in a Montessori school and to work by those principles, especially because trying to live by Montessori principles at a bit more traditional school can be challenging.
Overcoming Bias
We all have biases, just that we often aren't aware. Bias can affect many ares of our lives, like work or social life. With this assignment I got a chance to examine my own biases and how they affect my work. The biggest lesson from this is how to overcome bias to be a better and kinder teacher. On the right is an infographic I did with a classmate examining various biases and how to overcome them.
Embracing Diversity
It's so important to embrace diversity instead of ignoring it and shying away from peoples differences. "The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of it people". The biggest lesson from this assignment was thinking about ways to learn about other cultures and creating a classroom environment where students' diversity is celebrated. On the left is a video showing an idea of a diversity activity for my students
Impact of School Shutdowns
In the current time we are living in school closures are very common, even when I was in school, schools would close due to things like teacher strikes and student protests. Lately we've seen schools close due to Covid-19. In this assignment I researched the consequences of school closure on young children, families and communities. I created a short "Powtoon" highlighting these impacts.
The Impact of Parental Support
Parental support is very important for a child's success in school. In this assignment I did some research on how parent involvement affects children and created a hand out for parents. After doing this activity it left me thinking about how I can encourage better communication with my students parents.
Meeting Students Needs
Often we find that children don't always have actively involved parents and their needs are left unmet. As teachers we can always do something for those children. In this assignment, myself and 2 fellow classmates role played a way to support a child that lacks support. This is something I would definitely apply to my classroom especially for children who lack support from family.
Investigating early childhood education libraries
Reading is a very important part of development, especially in early childhood education. Books targeted at young children, aren't always suitable. Therefore as a teacher, when choosing books for the classroom it is important to make sure that the books fit. Things to consider include, diversity, readability and interest. In this video I talk about factors I would consider when choosing books for my classroom and review an early childhood book.
Embracing and Celebrating Diversity in the Classroom
Diversity is so important and learning to celebrate people's differences from early childhood is key. This video talks about ways that I can infuse, embrace and celebrate diversity in my classroom.
Supportive Tools in the Early Childhood Education Setting
Designing a classroom with the right supportive tools can promote positive attitudes towards learning. A student-centered classroom encourages students to initiate their own learning, while teachers facilitate skill acquisition. Examining necessary supportive tools is an important step for teachers when designing their classroom.
Instructing Students with Varying Abilities
Proper planning and preparation are required for teachers to instruct students with different abilities. We need to consider the varying abilities of students while planning for whole group and small group instruction to maximize their learning. The content of this assignment a guide for new educators that provides ideas for evaluating students' skills and optimizing teaching methods for both large and small groups.
Connecting Challenging Behaviors to Early Childhood Development Theories
For a group project, my two classmates and I collaborated on a mind map that linked challenging student behavior to early childhood theories. My section was highlighted in orange and focused on a particular student who struggled to pay attention in class and was often disruptive. To explain their behavior, I connected it to two theories: Levigotsky's Social Cultural Theory and BF Skinner's Behaviorism theory. (Click on the image to read)
Designing Curriculum Around Social Experiences
Children learn important lessons through social experiences such as sharing and communication. Teachers can design curriculum to meet the needs of the whole child by recognizing the benefits of social interactions.
Managing Aggressive Behaviors in the Early Childhood Learning Environment
Aggressive behavior among young children is commonplace in classroom settings. Educators can handle these situations effectively by familiarizing themselves with child development and the typical phases that children experience. In this assignment, I explored the topic of managing aggressive behavior in children aged three to six. The material covers how to respond to aggressive behavior, strategies for preventing such conduct, techniques for teachers to encourage self-regulation in children, and effective communication with parents regarding signs of aggressive behavior.
Child Development and Developmentally Appropriate Practice
The video presentation emphasizes the importance of aligning developmentally appropriate practices with Piaget's Cognitive Development theory to maximize each student's learning potential. It discusses the implementation of such practices in my classroom and their relevance in promoting holistic growth and development.
Meeting the Needs of Each Student
Differentiated Instruction acknowledges that all students are unique, and one size fits all teaching methods may not be suitable for everyone. It allows teachers to modify the content, process, product, or learning environment to better meet the needs of each student. Familiarity with Differentiated Instruction in Early Childhood classrooms enhances a teacher's effectiveness.
Designing the Ideal Early Childhood Education Program
As part of my final project, I have designed an early childhood education center that I believe would be perfect for young children. Drawing on everything I have learned throughout my master's program, I have carefully considered the type of school, the physical space, my philosophy of education, the mission statement, staffing requirements, and ways to involve parents in the learning process.
English Language Learners or Multilingual Learners have unique needs in the classroom. Using a student’s home language can be a powerful tool when teaching. In this video I talk about scaffolding and using student's home language as a tool when teaching.
Oral and Written Evidence-Based Practices
In this video I talk about how evidence-based oral language and writing strategies support comprehension. Specifically summaries and reading aloud.
I observed a lesson and analyzed how the teacher demonstrated the InTASC standards of creating a positve classroom environment.
Video Link: https://youtube.com/watch?v=CEr9tlmdPgA&si=VwQ4SGU_E_seC-gk
Learning Environment Plan: Module 4
Managing the learning environment is an important aspect of teaching and it starts with building a positive classroom climate. Other aspects include creating an information-intensive environment, developing classroom norms and rules, setting clear routines, procedures and transitions, appropriately responding to traumatic stress, managing technology and lastly communicating with families.
