1. Setting the Stage for Success April Howell EDU673 Dr. Tiffany Graves November 17,2015

2.  This will be in the Head Start Program so our demographics will be:  One teacher and a teacher aide per classroom with a possible volunteer grandparent  Ages 3 to 5 years of age  All academic subjects will be covered  We only have two classrooms which shall have 20 students each  Both male and female students will be excepted, the students abilities will not effect their chances of acceptance  All the students will be English language Learners (ELLs)  The students cultural backgrounds will not have any affect on their chances of acceptances  The Head Start Program has a behavior specialist to help with any behavior issues Demographics

3.  Our classrooms are set out to be positive settings. The teachers’ desks are in a separate office so that they students feel that they are on a common level as the teachers.  The physical layout of the classroom is designed to be welcoming. When you enter the classroom you first see the reading rug and the students cubbies. The tables are in the middle of the room. The Activity Centers are along the walls.  A picture of one of the classrooms is on the next slide. Classroom Environment

4. A diagram of the classrooms

5.  We use group tables instead of individual desks, this helps the students with socializing.  We have two computers in the classrooms for the students  The reading corner has an oval rug and a small book shelf  We have separate library for the students  We do not have pets do to allergies, but he children do catch the occasional bug while on the playground.  We have the play areas such as the kitchen, science, blocks, table toys, sand and water, art, painting, dress up, and the library. Furniture Arrangement

6. Photos of the Three year old room

7.  We only have two classrooms, two offices, two bathrooms, a storage closet, a janitors closet, and the kitchen  Each classroom has two doors; one entry from the hallway and an emergency exit out the back. The windows are four foot tall and immobile.  The bathrooms are across the hall from the classrooms, the water fountain is in the hallway close to the bathroom.  The bulletin board is just up the hallway form the bathrooms.  We do not have chalk boards we use projectors Architecture

8. Our classroom environment is set to be positive. We want the students to want to return. Lets start with the classroom rules, we refer to them as class expectations not rules. We set the expectations in a more positive manor so that the students do not feel that they are being told that they can not do something. Example: 1.Raise your hand to talk. 2. Respect others & school property. 3. Keep hands & feet to yourself. 4. Be responsible and always do your best. 5. Follow directions. Classroom Environment

9. Classroom Environment Continued Young children's interactions with peers in early education settings are likely contributors to their engagement in writing activities. When teachers make writing rich environments for children they create opportunities for children to interact and play with written language both alone and with their peers (Gerde, H. K., Bingham, G. E., & Pendergast, M. L., 2015). Both classrooms have a projector that the teacher uses to help teach the students through reading games. I have noticed that the students really like enjoy they alphabet one that also brings in excises and music. Through out the year the childrens’ reading and writing skills are measured. We have them try to write their names periodically throughout the year and keep it in their skill folders. The teachers also take notes of the stories the children tell about their art work, to measure their language development.

10. Classroom Environment Parents Involvement Another way that we help the children to feel safe and welcome in the classroom is to involve the family whenever we can. The Head Start Program has many projects to involve the parents. The most popular one is the parent committee. This is a program that allow the parents of the students to meet once a month and voice their opinion about decisions to be made within and about the school. This allows the parents to feel like they are a part of the program and they are more willing to volunteer in the classrooms which helps the children. The projects within the classrooms for the parents to help with are usually art projects, the parades, holiday activities, and many more. If the parent can not volunteer in the classroom because of their child's reaction to them being there but they still want to help, they can still help. The parents can also volunteer in the kitchen, be a bus aide, and help in the office. The parents are to feel as welcome as the children are, the staff are to help the parents understand so that they can continue their child’s education at home as well. We don’t want their learning to stop just because the school day has ended.

11. References Puckett, K (2013). Differentiating Instruction: A Practical Guide. Bridgepoint Education: San Diego, CA. Gerde, H. K., Bingham, G. E., & Pendergast, M. L. (2015). Reliability and validity of the Writing Resources and Interactions in Teaching Environments (WRITE) for preschool classrooms. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 3134- 46. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2014.12.008 Read, M. A., Sugawara, A. I., & Brandt, J. A. (1999). Impact of Space and Color in the Physical Environment on Preschool Children's Cooperative Behavior. Environment & Behavior, 31(3), 413. Brassard, M. R., & Boehm, A. E. (2007). Preschool assessment. [electronic resource] : principles and practices. New York : Guilford Press, c2007.