1. The Intentional teacher
Chapter 2: Best Practices for Intentional Teaching
Professor Backlar

2. Structuring the Physical Learning Environment
Provide a safe and healthy indoor and outdoor environment
Licensing requirements (ECERS)
Organize the space in interest areas or centers
Supply plentiful and diverse equipment and materials
Open-ended materials
Rotate
Reflecting diversity
Display work created by and of interest to children
Recall and reflect
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3. Scheduling the Program Day
Emotional stability and security
Avoid too many transitions
Establish a consistent yet flexible daily routine
Choice and self-directed play
Clean-up/self-help skills
Snack
Group activities which teacher introduces concepts/skills
Rest time
Indoor/outdoor
Transitions
Problem solving with materials and people
Reflecting on learning
Allow for a variety of types of activities
Small/large groups
pairs
Use a variety of groupings
Allow just enough time for each activity

4. Interacting with Children
Meet children’s basic physical needs
Create a warm and caring atmosphere
Encourage and support language communication
Encourage initiative
Introduce information and model skills
Acknowledge children’s activities and accomplishments
Support peer interactions
Encourage independent problem solving
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5. Effective Teacher-Child Interactions

6. Building Relationships with Families
Exchange information about the curriculum and how it promotes children’s development
Meetings
Newsletters
Mail/
Blogs
Lending libraries with books, articles, and video recordings
Share suggestions about how to extend learning at home
Ideas that fit in to families everyday schedule (shopping, mealtimes, bedtime)
Carrying on conversations with their children
Daily reading
Provide networking opportunities for families

7. Assessing Children’s Development
Use assessment results to plan for individual children and the group as a whole
Use assessment results to identify areas for professional development

8. What values shape your environments?

9. Learning Environments and Curriculum: Examine the Environments

10. In small groups, discuss the following…
How do you discover what children have to teach you about curriculum?
How do you make curriculum meaningful and culturally relevant?
How can you redefine "school readiness" to mean full engagement and learning about learning?
What is the role of the physical and social-emotional environments in facilitating complex play, engaged learning, discovery, and deepening relationships?