M4U1A3: Establishing a Positive Classroom Climate

Creating a climate of caring and concern for students from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural groups in an early learning classroom

The importance of creating a climate of caring and concern in the classroom in developing a positive climate in the classroom

To begin: Take a new look at my classroom

In order to create a beautiful environment for my children and me, I will take this simple survey of my classroom. I will get down on the children's level and discover what they see. I will take photographs to "really see" the space.

·      When a child enters the classroom, do they see an attractive space?

·      Will the child find this place to be warm and homelike?

In my opinion, these questions are important because children understand the environment by striving to make sense of the world in which they live. They try to organize the visual images and concrete objects in their environment into meaningful systems. They want to determine how the space works and what activities can happen in this place. On top of that, today's young children spend a large number of hours in a "new" environment such as in early years settings i.e. in a child-care center or in a nursery. This large number of hours in one environment demands that the space be carefully designed to create the "best" place possible for young children.

·      Are the children's materials grouped together based on how they are used?

·      What are the sounds of the classroom?

From my experience, materials are essential because preschoolers are active learners and will continue to examine materials while beginning to use objects in more complex combinations. They develop symbolic representation as they take on roles and participate in socio-dramatic play. Further to this, their language also explodes during this period as they try to find "labels" for the objects and people in their world. They begin to learn that words can be broken into sound segments and that letters can represent single sounds and that reading print can be pleasurable.  As teachers help children construct understandings of the relationships between letters and sounds by a variety of methods, language becomes meaningful and gives young children the power to question and find answers.

·      Can each child recognize who lives and works in this space?

·      Is there a teacher who wants to create a wonderful space for children?

These questions are important for creating a caring climate in an early years classroom. A caring and responsive caregiver/teacher provides a positive climate for young children that will impact not only emotional security but also many aspects of cognitive development. Children who feel secure and supported will experiment, try new things, and express their ideas.

·      Are children's work displayed in an attractive manner  that can be appreciated by 

       children, parents, and teachers?

·      Is there a beautiful area or display that can be enjoyed?

I believe that an aesthetically pleasing space can develop a child's appreciation for the beautiful world around them. Most importantly, quality environment can provide a home like setting that "feels" like a good place to be.

·      Are a variety of areas available: quiet, active, messy, and large or small group?

·      Is there a place to pause and reflect?

The appropriate emotional environment also respects young children, while understanding individual differences. This means that each child has a place to collect "valuable" things - their pictures and work are displayed in the classroom. There is also a place where the child can retreat when things get too busy, or when he/she becomes tired.

How to create a successful multicultural environment that values diversity in an early learning classroom?

In my opinion, children in our world, now more than ever, are living in a diverse society. Even if children live in an environment with one dominant race, it is still necessary to learn about a culture different from their own. Therefore, our job as educators is to help children to be successful and empower them.

To begin: I will reflect on these questions

·      Look at my own pre-judgments and biases

·      Does my work with young children reflect acceptance and respect for other cultures or

       affect how I teach?

·      What knowledge and research have I obtained about cultural activities?

The things I can do to improve my classroom environment

·      Encourage a sense of wellbeing for all children by removing stereotypical materials, art   

       and books

·      Create pictures and art that represent different families from a variety of ethnic   

       backgrounds

·      Have multicultural material properly displayed for children’s use

·      Create learning activities and games that prompt positive discussion such as word 

       games and language

The activities that I can conduct

In Art:

·  Have authentic materials for art activities that reflect rich colors and patterns for children  

   to use

·  Have magazines available that contain people from diverse groups and locations
·  Have materials available for multicultural art activities such as skin-color crayons, markers 

   and paint

·  Choose cultural artwork of prominent people in different groups and locations cultures to 

   teach and empower young children

In Block Play and Building:

·      Include a variety of interconnecting blocks that represent buildings from other countries

·      Have blocks and small animals that are from the U. S. and other countries

·      Have blocks or interlocking toys that reflect children and families of a variety of ethnic

       groups

·      Books:

·      Use books that are sensitive to other cultures and include information about everyday  

       life

·      Use books that represent the children who are in my class and other ethnic groups

·      Use books to arouse the children’s imagination and make them aware of human 

       behavior and feelings of others

·      Use books about other cultures that tell an interesting story and give accurate 

       information

·      Remove books that have biased language or stereotypical pictures from the classroom

·      Add books about the benefits of culture

Cooking or Food:

·      Encourage children to experiment with foods other than those with which they  
       are familiar
·      Bring spices to class from a variety of menus for children to smell and use for 
       hands-on activities
·      Give children the opportunity to prepare and eat a variety of foods from other 
       cultures such as spaghetti, stir-fried rice and burritos
·      Have children’s cookware, dishes and utensils available such as woks, chopsticks and 
       kettles
·      Use a wide variety of colorful fruit and vegetables from other cultures to teach and 
       enjoy such as kiwifruit, mangos and plantains
      

 Conclusion

To conclude, young children respond differently, based on the design of the environment in which they live. An effectively designed classroom has the potential for positively influencing all areas of children's development: physical, social /emotional, and cognitive. Since research has suggested that the emotions of children are strongly influenced by the responsiveness of the caregiver during the first years of life, the caregiver/teacher therefore plays an important role in reflecting the child’s joy. When emotion is reciprocated, the child's security is strengthened in his/her ‘’new space’’. 

References:

(Accessed on 06 April 2015)

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=334

http://www.okdhs.org/NR/rdonlyres/677A577C-AE13-471E-875F-BC9AE340DBA7/0/1019_CreatingaMulticulturalEnvironmentthatValuesDiversityforYoungChildren_ccs_042212014pdf.pdf