Successful environments consistently have certain key elements. Give at least three elements and an ...

Ans. to #1

ANSWER:
Elements of successful environments and samples of how they look in the environment are as follows:
Give children ways to identify their own spacelabel their cubbies with name, photo.
Give children an opportunity to make choicesgive them many materials and interest centers from which to choose.
See that children are responsible for caring for the equipment and materialsestablish a cleanup time in the daily schedule and allow children to help restore the room and yard.
Involve children in the process of planning and setting up the environmentlet them help decide what they want to learn by developing areas and units around what they bring to class.
Provide children with enough time to learn through regular routines, such as eating, dressing, and toileting.
Allow children to solve their own problems without adult intervention whenever possibleobserve a child struggling with material before stepping in.
Accept childrens effortsbe ready to allow children to dress themselves, however imperfectly, without criticism.
Communicate expectationstell them both in verbal and nonverbal ways what you want to see happen, such as It's cleanup time. You have plenty of time and don't have to hurry.
Be sure staff expectations are consistentthe team should set common goals and reinforce them.
Consider the developmental level of the childknow what is typical and normal for the age of the group you are working with.
Make it safe to make a mistakewhen someone spills juice, for example, help the child find a sponge and wipe it up without teacher disapproval or anxiety.
Give credit where credit is duecompliment a child when a task is complete or an effort is noticed.
Be sure children have access to enough toys and materialsmake sure supplies are stored in such a way that adults do not have to hand them to children every time they will be used.
Let children teach one anotherencourage and actively seek out each childs way of doing things, and have them show another how to do something.

Ans. to #2

ANSWER:
Refer to the text, Figure 9-4. Some examples of how an inclusive program considers these aspects of the environment include:
Physical: There are ramps in addition to or instead of stairs.
Visual: Visual clutter is avoided on walls, contrasting colors are used on edges and when surfaces change, and displays are at children's eye level.
Auditory: Auditory competition is avoided, background noise is filtered or dampened, and nonauditory signals are used, such as turning lights on and off.
Social:
Learning materials and toys include representations of all kinds of people; social cues are used to signal children of changes; and people with disabilities are represented in active and leadership roles.

Ans. to #3

ANSWER: Children have the ability to take in and make sense of information obtained from their senses: visualto see, auditoryto listen, olfactoryto smell, tactileto touch, and gustatoryto taste. Sensory awareness, the use of the senses, promotes self- discovery. It is another way the body gives the mind information. It is important to remember that children and adults inhabit different sensory worlds. Therefore the environment in early childhood classrooms should be filled with sensory activities that are sticky, squishy, slippery, smooth, heavy, light, soft, loud, crunchy, colorful, aromatic, and flavorful. Furthermore, daily interactions with young children should be peppered with statements and questions that show the wonder and value of the sensory qualities of the environment.

Ans. to #4

ANSWER: Gardens by their very nature involve muda phenomenon that simultaneously inspires delight in young children. Mud inspires children to wonder about the transformation of passive dirt into an almost sinister substance. It resists muscles when a child is in the thick of it and speaks to the childs need to explore nature.

Ans. to #5

ANSWER:
The anti-bias and self-help approaches coincide by promoting a positive, realistic self-concept, awareness about self and others, respect for diversity, communication and problem-solving skills, and a pluralistic community based on individual development.

Ans. to #6

ANSWER:
Answers will vary by student. Sample answers are:
A.
Learning centers are available for children to choose.
B.
Three is a low teacher-to-child ratio.
C.
The classroom and yard are set up for group play, such as tables with three to five chairs and several wheel and sand toys.
D.
Cleanup is a scheduled part of the day.
E.
Furniture is arranged to avoid runways.
F.
The classroom and yard are mostly set up before children arrive so that teachers are free to interact.

Ans. to #7

ANSWER: Water, sand, and mud play encourage children to do the following: perform simple experiments; measure, compare, and solve; play creatively; develop new vocabulary; demonstrate new concepts.

Were some really tough homework problems! Thanks for answering all of them correctly